For my third and final cocktail from Smuggler’s Cove by Martin and Rebecca Cate, I decided to go with the Fog Cutter, one of the drinks they have listed in a special section called Eight Essential Exotic Elixirs. In a book with over 300 pages packed with recipes and everything you could possibly want to know about tiki drinks, this would have been a difficult chapter to pass up. The Fog Cutter makes the list along with fellow classics like the Mai Tai, the Zombie, and Planter’s Punch. So what made me choose this particular drink over some of the other offerings in this chapter? For starters, I was drawn to the number of spirits being used in this cocktail. Aged rum, pisco, gin, and oloroso sherry is quite the set list! Secondly, I love anything that’s made with orgeat, a combination of almonds, sugar, and orange flower water that tastes like liquid marzipan. Although you can make your own, Giffard makes an excellent version of it that’s readily available. The Fog Cutter was originally a Trader Vic’s cocktail, and is still served at their restaurants around the world. The Smuggler’s Cove rendition brings in pisco, an unaged brandy made from grapes that is hailed by both Chile and Peru as their national spirit. It should be noted, however, that neither country accepts the other’s claim and it is an ongoing debate as to who the spirit truly belongs to. Pisco is more vegetal than the brandy used at Trader Vic’s, and that flavor definitely finds its way into the drink. Since the recipe calls for a full 4 ounces of alcohol, I decided to serve it in a smaller glass, so as not to knock anyone’s socks off. This is always an option with tiki drinks since they tend to pack a pretty powerful punch! The combination of the spirits and the lemon and orange juices makes the Fog Cutter surprisingly refreshing, and the sweetness of the orgeat works to soften any sharp edges. The sherry float adds a richer, more mellow flavor that’s the direct opposite of all the other ingredients, and is quite the surprising twist. Cheers everyone. Happy Monday!

Fog Cutter

2 oz lightly aged rum
½ oz gin
1 oz pisco
½ oz orgeat
1½ oz orange juice
1½ oz lemon juice
½ oz oloroso sherry

Combine all the ingredients except the sherry in a mixing tin and shake until very cold. Strain over crushed ice in a tall tiki mug or a zombie glass if you’re making one, or a shorter footed glass if you’re making two. Float the sherry on top by pouring gently onto the surface of the drink. Garnish with orange and lemon slices and a mint sprig. Enjoy!