Classic cocktail · Guided recipe

Fog Cutter

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Rum, cognac and gin in one glass sounds like a dare. Orange, lemon and orgeat smooth it over so completely that the first sip tastes like breakfast juice. That is the trap, and Trader Vic said as much himself.

Preparation~4 minSome techniqueStrengthStrongabout 20% ABVMethodShaken12 guided stepsIngredients7Tall (highball) glass
Tropical

In the glassGold rum · Cognac · Gin · Orange juice · Fresh lemon juice · +2 more

See exact amounts
Fog Cutter in a tall straight-sided highball glass styled in an intimate cellar salon with limewashed masonry, old oak and tarnished copper.
Make it with guidanceOne clear action at a time, with timers built in.
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What goes in

Ingredients

An empty clear highball glass with tall straight sides and a substantial base.
Serving glassHighball glass

Set up before you pour

Use a highball glass.

The tall, straight shape leaves room for plenty of ice and mixer while keeping a long drink lively.

Standard size
350 ml11¾ oz
Ice & serve
Pack it generously with crushed ice.
If you don’t own one
Use a Collins glass or any tall, straight-sided tumbler.
Tools to set out
  • cocktail shaker
  • strainer (or a small sieve)
  • jigger or measuring spoon
Compare all glass types
Scale to your tall (highball) glassWe’ll remember this glass size.
  • Gold rum45 ml
  • Cognac15 ml
  • Gin8 ml
  • Cream sherry15 ml
  • Orange juice30 ml
  • Fresh lemon juice22 ml
  • Orgeat syrup15 ml
Start making

From bottle to glass

Method

  1. 01
    Instructional sketch: Measure and pour spirit rum into the shaker tin without serving ice.
    Measure into the shaker

    Pour 45 ml gold rum into your shaker

    • Gold rum
  2. 02
    Instructional sketch: Measure and pour spirit whiskey into the shaker tin without serving ice.
    Measure into the shaker

    Add 15 ml cognac

    • Cognac
  3. 03
    Instructional sketch: Measure and pour spirit gin into the shaker tin without serving ice.
    Measure into the shaker

    Add 8 ml gin

    • Gin
  4. 04
    Instructional sketch: Measure and pour juice orange into the shaker tin without serving ice.
    Measure into the shaker

    Add 30 ml orange juice

    • Orange juice
  5. 05
    Instructional sketch: Measure and pour fresh lemon into the shaker tin without serving ice.
    Measure into the shaker

    Add 22 ml fresh lemon juice

    • Fresh lemon juice
  6. 06
    Instructional sketch: Measure and pour pantry syrup into the shaker tin without serving ice.
    Measure into the shaker

    Add 15 ml orgeat syrup

    • Orgeat syrup
  7. 07
    Instructional sketch: Add cubed ice to the shaker tin.
    Ice the shaker

    Fill the shaker with ice

  8. 08
    Instructional sketch: Seal the two-piece shaker and shake it firmly with both hands.
    Seal and shake

    Seal and shake hard

  9. 09
    Instructional sketch: Add crushed ice to the highball glass.
    Ice the glass

    Fill your glass with fresh crushed ice

  10. 10
    Instructional sketch: Strain the orange cocktail from the shaker into the highball glass with crushed ice.
    Strain cleanly

    Strain into your glass

  11. 11
    Instructional sketch: Top the orange drink gently with liqueur cassis in the highball glass with crushed ice.
    Top gently

    Top with 15 ml cream sherry

    • Cream sherry
  12. 12
    Instructional sketch: Finish the orange drink in the highball glass with crushed ice with Mint Sprig, Orange Slice.
    Finish the drink

    Finish it — add an orange slice and a sprig of mint

Know your drink

About the Fog Cutter

A Daiquiri, minty rum highball and dark rum rocks drink at a sunset terrace bar.

Trader Vic's warning

Victor Bergeron built this in the 1940s and is quoted on it forever: "Fog Cutter, hell. After two of these, you won't even see the stuff." The ingredient list reads like someone emptying a back bar, but the proportions hold together. Rum leads, cognac fills the middle, the gin sharpens the edges, and the orgeat pulls all three into one flavor.

Common questions

Fog Cutter FAQ

Is the gin really necessary?

Eight milliliters looks pointless and is not. The juniper cuts through the orgeat and stops the glass tasting like an almond milkshake, and you notice its absence more than its presence. Use a plain London dry rather than anything floral or contemporary.

What is the sherry float for?

Trader Vic finished the drink with a spoonful of sherry on top, and it is the part most recipes skip. Cream or oloroso adds a nutty, oxidized note that meets the orgeat halfway, and it gives the first mouthful a different flavor from the rest of the glass.

How strong is one, honestly?

Sixty-eight milliliters of spirit across three bottles, which puts it past a double Old Fashioned before any juice is counted. Crushed ice dilutes as you go, so it softens rather than sharpens. The gentle taste and the actual arithmetic are not on speaking terms.

Can I use supermarket almond syrup?

Not really. Coffee-shop almond syrup is sugar and flavoring, while orgeat is an emulsion of almonds with orange flower water, and the texture it lends is most of the point. Buy a proper one or make it. Homemade keeps a couple of weeks refrigerated.

What ingredients are in a Fog Cutter?

A classic Fog Cutter calls for 45 ml (1.5 oz) Gold rum, 15 ml (0.5 oz) Cognac, 8 ml (0.25 oz) Gin, 30 ml (1 oz) Orange juice, 22 ml (0.75 oz) Fresh lemon juice, 15 ml (0.5 oz) Orgeat syrup, 15 ml (0.5 oz) Cream sherry. That single-serve spec scales cleanly — the recipe above converts it to oz and multiplies it for 2–4 drinks.

Is a Fog Cutter shaken or stirred?

A Fog Cutter is shaken — the rule of thumb is to shake anything with citrus juice. About 13 seconds with plenty of ice chills and dilutes it correctly.

What glass do you serve a Fog Cutter in?

Serve a Fog Cutter in a highball (tall) glass, packed with crushed ice.

Sharpen the technique

Skills used in this recipe

Hands holding both ends of a frosted two-tin cocktail shaker above a prepared home bar.
Technique6 min

How to shake a cocktail properly

The grip, timing, ice and visual cues that make shaken drinks colder and brighter.

Read the guide
Large clear ice, standard cubes and crushed ice shown in three appropriate cocktail glasses.
Fundamentals7 min

Cocktail ice: cubes, crushed ice and dilution

Understand why ice is an ingredient—and choose the right shape for every drink.

Read the guide
Fresh lime being squeezed through a metal citrus press beside lemon, grapefruit and peel tools.
Ingredients6 min

Fresh citrus for cocktails: juice, wedges and balance

Get brighter lime, lemon and grapefruit flavor with better prep and storage.

Read the guide

Where to go next

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