Tuaca Cocktails
Travel Distilled brings you some Tuaca cocktails, using the Italian brandy-based liqueur, Tuaca, combining it with gin, bourbon or vodka.
A while ago I reviewed a bottle of an Italian brandy-based spirit called Tuaca. It’s an unusual and very tasty drink, which takes the base brandy and infuses it with citrus and vanilla and ages the result in oak barrels, all of which makes it a liqueur rather than a straight brandy.
Where Did Tuaca Originate?
Legend has it that Tuaca was created for Lorenzo de’ Medici, a prominent ruler of Florence, who was known for his patronage of the arts and his love for fine foods and drinks. It later disappeared for a while, till it was recreated in the 1930s by brothers-in-law Gaetano Tuoni and Giorgio Canepa, who combined their names to produce a new word: Tuaca. It proved popular with US troops stationed in Italy during World War II, and was first imported into the USA in the 1950s.
Over the years, the brand has changed hands several times. As of recent years, Tuaca is produced and distributed by the Sazerac Company, a prominent American spirits company.
Using Tuaca
Tuaca is known for its smooth, sweet, and slightly spicy flavor. It combines notes of vanilla, citrus, and a hint of butterscotch, making it a versatile liqueur for various cocktails and culinary uses. It can be used in cooking and baking, adding a distinctive flavor to desserts and sauces, and is often used in cocktails due to its unique flavor.
Tuaca Cocktails
Thanks to writer and mixologist Kevin Postupack, who’s a fan of both Tuaca and Travel Distilled, here are some Tuaca cocktails for you to try. You can read about Kevin on his website, kevinkunundrum.com, where you’ll find that he’s written some really interesting books.
Photo (c) Jennifer Denkers
ROSEMARY’S BABY
Ingredients
1 part Tanqueray No. 10 Gin
1 part Tuaca
1 part Spatola Italian Sweet Vermouth
1 part Simply Lemonade juice
2 sprigs fresh Rosemary (one for smushing, one for garnish)
Method
Shake everything, including one sprig of rosemary, over ice.
Rub some rosemary around the rim of a tumbler.
Pour ingredients into the tumbler, half-filled with ice.
Garnish with the other sprig of Rosemary.
DIOGENES IN A GLASS (a Manhattan)
Ingredients
2 parts Old Forester 100 Proof Bourbon Whisky
½ part Tuaca
½ part Spatola Italian Sweet Vermouth
dash of Watkins Aromatic bitters
Method
Stir in a shaker with ice.
Strain into chilled cocktail glass.
Garnish with a Maraschino cherry.
TUACA ON THE WILD SIDE
Ingredients
1½ parts Wheatley Vodka
1 part Tuaca
½ part Spatola Italian Sweet Vermouth
¼ part Grand Marnier
splash of Lemon juice
Method
Shake over ice.
Pour into a chilled coupe glass.
Garnish with a lemon wedge.
Recent Posts
