El Diablo
A sour, bubbly and berry cocktail ∙ Shake ∙ 3 min ∙ 10.2% ABV ∙
The El Diablo is a tequila highball: tequila reposado, crème de cassis, and fresh lime shaken, strained over ice in a tall glass, and topped with ginger beer.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Shake the first 3 ingredients with ice: Tequila reposado 45 mlCrème de Cassis 15 mlLime juice 25 ml
- Strain into the ice-filled glass
- Top with Ginger beer and briefly stir
- Garnish with a lime wedge
Tips
- Reach for reposado rather than blanco; its time in the barrel helps it stand up to the cassis and ginger beer.
History
The El Diablo first appears in print as the "Mexican El Diablo" in Victor Bergeron's 1946 Trader Vic's Book of Food and Drink, where it is flagged as one of his original creations, and it appeared again in his 1947 Bartender's Guide. By the time it resurfaced in Trader Vic's 1968 Pacific Island Cookbook, the name had been shortened to simply El Diablo. Bergeron, the founder of the Trader Vic's tiki chain, is generally credited as its creator, and tiki historian Jeff Berry has suggested he was adapting an earlier rum-based drink called the Diablo into a tequila version.
The drink largely disappeared from wider circulation after the 1950s, surfacing again in the 1960s at Bergeron's Mexican-themed Señor Pico restaurants, and remained a minor, rarely reprinted title for decades before its recent revival on modern cocktail menus.
FAQ
What's in an El Diablo cocktail?
45 ml tequila reposado, 15 ml crème de cassis and 25 ml fresh lime juice, shaken, strained over ice and topped with 60 ml ginger beer. Use reposado, not blanco: the barrel-aged tequila holds its own next to the cassis and ginger beer.
What does an El Diablo cocktail taste like?
Ginger spice and tart lime come first, then a light blackcurrant sweetness from the crème de cassis. At about 10.2% ABV, it drinks like a fruity ginger highball rather than a tequila sour.
Is an El Diablo shaken or built?
Both. The tequila, cassis and lime are shaken with ice and strained over fresh ice, then topped with ginger beer. Adding the ginger beer last keeps its fizz.
What glass is an El Diablo served in?
A Collins glass, filled with ice and garnished with a lime wedge, to hold the volume of ginger beer and keep the drink cold.
Is an El Diablo vegan?
Yes, an El Diablo is vegan, vegetarian and lactose-free: it is made only from tequila, cassis liqueur, lime juice and ginger beer.
