Fog Cutter in an old-fashioned glass with crushed ice, a straw, and a cherry liqueur drizzle

Fog Cutter (Bramble Style)

Name: Fog Cutter (Bramble Style)
Prep time: 3 min
Total time: 3 min
Yield: 1 serving
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: White rum — 30 ml (1 oz); Cognac (brandy) — 15 ml (1/2 oz); London dry gin — 15 ml (1/2 oz); Lime juice (freshly squeezed) — 15 ml (1/2 oz); Sugar syrup — 5 ml (1/6 oz); Cherry liqueur — 10 ml (1/3 oz)

Shake ∙ 3 min ∙ 25.2% ABV ∙

The Fog Cutter is a tiki rum sour with brandy and gin, shaken with lime and sugar, poured over crushed ice under a cherry liqueur float. Bright lime and warm brandy-gin depth run through the rum base, and the cherry liqueur drizzle settles into a sweet-tart top note as the crushed ice melts.

Ingredients

Servings

Instructions for 1 serving

Pre-chill a glass
Shake the first 5 ingredients with ice: White rum 30 mlCognac 15 mlLondon dry gin 15 mlLime juice 15 mlSugar syrup 5 ml
Strain into the glass filled with crushed ice
Drizzle Cherry liqueur 10 ml over the drink and serve with a straw

Tips

Shake the base spirits and lime hard and fast so the drink is cold and well-diluted before it meets the crushed ice.
Pour the cherry liqueur in a slow drizzle over the top rather than mixing it in, so it sinks gradually and shows color as it goes.

History

The Fog Cutter (Bramble Style) is a riff on the Fog Cutter, a strong tiki cocktail most often credited to Victor "Trader Vic" Bergeron, who is generally said to have created it in the early 1940s and first published the recipe in his 1946 Trader Vic's Book of Food and Drink. This Bramble-style version finishes the drink with a drizzle of cherry liqueur poured over the top, a touch that recalls the modern Bramble cocktail's signature float.

FAQ

What's in a Fog Cutter cocktail?

This build combines white rum, Cognac, London dry gin, fresh lime juice, and sugar syrup, shaken together and strained over crushed ice, then finished with a drizzle of cherry liqueur on top.

Is a Fog Cutter shaken or stirred?

Shaken. The rum, Cognac, gin, lime juice, and sugar syrup need the aeration and quick chill of a hard shake before being strained over crushed ice; the cherry liqueur is added afterward as a float, not shaken in.

What glass is a Fog Cutter served in?

An old-fashioned glass, packed with crushed ice and served with a straw.

How strong is a Fog Cutter?

About 25.2% ABV, making it a notably strong tiki drink even though it is built on crushed ice and diluted by lime juice and syrup.