Fog Cutter Cocktail Recipe: How to Make a Fog Cutter

The Fog Cutter cocktail is a tiki drink famous for packing a serious punch. It is a fruity cocktail with hints of almond. The Fog Cutter recipe consists of light rum, Cognac, gin, fresh lime juice, orange juice, orgeat syrup and sherry. It is originally served in a tiki mug or in a highball glass.

The Fog Cutter cocktail is a vintage tiki drink created by Victor Bergeron, owner of Trader’s Vic Restaurant, sometime from 1947 to 1972. Still in operation today, Trader Vic’s is a polynesian-themed tiki bar chain that is very well-known for its cocktails, such as the Fog Cutter. Its popularity soared in the 1950s and then grew even more as different variations were introduced in the 1970s. The Fog Cutter cocktail is not one to be altered; the cocktail delivers a powerful kick despite its fruity and almond-like taste. It is best recommended for those with a high tolerance to alcohol, as it calls for several types of liquors.

What are the ingredients for a Fog Cutter?

Listed below are the ingredients to make a tasty Fog Cutter cocktail.

• 40ml light rum: Light rum is colourless and aged less than standard rum. It has a sweeter and more subtle taste than darker rum.
• 20ml Cognac: Cognac is a variety of brandy that originated from a town in France, appropriately named Cognac. It has a sweet, spicy, fruity and bitter taste.
• 20ml gin: Gin is a distilled alcohol beverage made from juniper berries. It has a citrusy, pine like-taste.
• 30ml fresh lime juice: Freshly squeezed lime juice. It is most commonly consumed as a beverage.
• 30ml orange juice: Freshly squeezed orange juice. It is also commonly consumed as a beverage.
• 15ml orgeat syrup: Orgeat syrup is a sweet syrup made from almonds, sugar and rose water. It has an almond taste and is used to flavour cocktails.
• 10ml sherry: Sherry is a fortified wine originally made from grapes. It has a distinct nutty flavour.

1. 40ml Light Rum

The Fog Cutter cocktail requires 40ml of light rum. This is one of the base spirits of a Fog Cutter cocktail and is colourless with a sweet and subtle taste. Light rum usually contains 40% alcohol by volume and 97 calories. One of the best light rums to use for a Fog Cutter cocktail is Bacardi Carta Blanca because it has a clean, dry, and very mild sweet taste.

2. 20ml Cognac

The Fog Cutter cocktail requires 20ml of Cognac, another spirit that makes up the drink’s liquor base. It has a sweet, spicy, fruity and bitter taste. Cognac usually contains 40% alcohol by volume and 105 calories. The best cognac to use in a Fog Cutter cocktail is the Remy Martin 1738. It has a nutty and woody taste and gives off an elegant vibe.

3. 20ml Gin

The Fog Cutter cocktail requires 20ml of gin, the last of the drink’s three base liquors. It is a distilled spirit made from juniper berries and has a pine-like flavour. Gin typically contains 40% alcohol by volume and 64 calories. The best gin to use for the Fog Cutter cocktail is Tanqueray because this brand has a perfect combination of citrus and juniper berries.

4. 30ml Fresh Lime Juice

The Fog Cutter cocktail requires 30ml of fresh lime juice, best if freshly squeezed. This contributes to the sour and citrus flavour of the cocktail. While the fresh lime juice doesn’t have alcohol content, it does contain 25 calories.

5. 30ml Orange Juice

The Fog Cutter cocktail requires 30ml of orange juice, again ideal if  freshly squeezed. This also contributes to the citrusy flavour of the Fog Cutter cocktail. The fresh orange juice contains 14 calories and 0 alcohol content.

6. 15ml Orgeat Syrup

The Fog Cutter cocktail requires 15ml of orgeat syrup. This contains almonds, sugar, and rose water. The orgeat syrup gives the Fog Cutter cocktail a taste of almond. The orgeat syrup doesn’t have alcohol content, but it contains 44 calories.

7. 10ml Sherry

The Fog Cutter cocktail requires 10ml of sherry. Sherry is a fortified wine made from grapes. It has a tangy, crispy, and nutty flavour. It adds to the nutty or almond like flavour of the Fog Cutter cocktail. The sherry contains an amount of 15% alcohol by volume and has 11 calories.

How to make a Fog Cutter?

Preparing a Fog Cutter has never been easier thanks to this recipe, so don't miss it and make the most out of your cocktail!

1. Pour all the ingredients except the sherry into a shaker and shake.
2. Strain into a tiki mug or highball glass.
3. Top the cocktail with crushed ice.
4. Float the sherry on top.
5. Garnish with a pineapple wedge and a cherry.

1. Pour all the ingredients except the sherry into a shaker and shake.

In a cocktail shaker, pour the 40ml light rum, 20ml Cognac, 20ml gin, 30ml fresh lime juice, 30ml orange juice, 15ml orgeat syrup. Close and shake until all the ingredients are thoroughly mixed. This is a crucial first step, as it allows all flavours to blend together.

2. Strain into a tiki mug or highball glass.

Grab a strainer and strain the mixture, then pour it into a tiki mug or highball glass. The straining process is important because it ensures that there are no other substances aside from the ingredients in the final mixture.

3. Top the cocktail with crushed ice.

Grab some crushed ice and put it on top of the cocktail. The crushed ice is an essential ingredient for the next step.

4. Float the sherry on top.

Slowly pour the 10ml sherry on top of the crushed ice. Make sure it floats on top. This will be crucial as the sherry needs to stay afloat for the drink to look visually appealing.

5. Garnish with a pineapple wedge and a cherry.

For garnishing, take a wedge of sliced pineapple and carefully place it on the top side of the glass along with the cherry. This will contribute to the drink’s visual aesthetics.

What nutritional benefit can you get from drinking a Fog Cutter?

There are no nutritional benefits from drinking a Fog Cutter cocktail. It does contain an amount of 16.6% alcohol by volume and contains 243 calories per serving.

What are the different variations of Fog Cutter?

There are multiple variations of the classic Fog Cutter cocktail, including Between the Sheets, Stay Up Late, Loudspeaker Cocktail, Pink Lady, Ampersand, and White Mountain Millionaire. To variate a classic Fog Cutter cocktail drink, the bartender can change some ingredients. Instead of using Cognac, the bartender can use vodka. Some similar drinks would be Long Island Iced Tea, Bone Crusher, Leg Spreader, and Scorpion Bowl.