Fog Cutter Recipe

The Fog Cutter is a potent mix of rum, Cognac, gin, sherry, orgeat, lemon juice, and orange juice. It’s one of the enduring classics of the mid-century tropical cocktail movement, and boasts a boozy recipe straight from the golden era of the “tiki” bar that includes four completely different types of alcohol.

The Fog Cutter is another creation of Victor “Trader Vic” Bergeron, who is best known for creating the Mai Tai. The recipe appeared in print in 1972 in Trader Vic’s Bartender’s Guide (revised edition), where it was clearly marked as his own creation.

This heavy-hitting tropical cocktail quickly became a favorite among Trader Vic’s guests. According to Martin Cate in Smuggler’s Cove, the Fog Cutter was “one of the most often duplicated drinks of the golden era,” and was adopted by many competing establishments. Today, it remains a staple of kitschy throwback bars that hearken back to the heyday of the escapist tropical scene.

Why the Fog Cutter works

When taking a closer look at Trader Vic’s recipes, a clear pattern emerges. All of his most well-known cocktails share ingredients and a similar build with repeated ingredients.

Orgeat, an almond-based syrup, is Trader Vic’s most commonly used ingredient and is also found in the Mai Tai and the Scorpion. Using orgeat instead of a simple syrup gives drinks a distinct and complex nutty sweetness.

Where the Fog Cutter deviates from Vic’s formula is with the addition of oloroso sherry, which provides a bit of dryness to balance out the three ounces of fruit juice and syrupy orgeat.

While this recipe calls for Cognac, some bars, like Smuggler’s Cove, opt for pisco or other types of brandy. Smuggler’s Cove’s variation is a tribute to Trader Vic’s rival, Donn Beach, who used pisco to make Fog Cutters in his establishments.