Vintage American Cocktails

What Does The Brave Bull Taste Like?

More than a tequila cocktail, I think of this as a Kahula cocktail, and this is a fantastic Kahlua cocktail. So if you’re not usually a coffee liqueur fan, this one is still worth a shot. If you already like Black or White Russians, this one may become your new favorite. This cocktail taste exactly as you would expect. It tastes like cold tequila and Kahlua. What makes the drink good are the proportions. Kahlua is intensely sweet but the tequila cuts it well. The tequila is strong but the ice dilutes it and chills it just enough. The trick to getting this cocktail right is to stir it for a little bit longer than you typically would stir a drink like this. It needs that extra chill and water to balance out, but if the balance is right it tastes great.

There was a 1950s movie called The Brave Bulls, and maybe it was named after that, but there is no evidence to suggest so. I have never seen the movie but maybe it is where Vic Bergeron got the name from.

Tequila Cocktails And Their History

You may be surprised to know that tequila is not a common spirit in cocktails. Most commonly known tequila cocktails come from only two sources. The 1937 “Cafe Royal Cocktail Book” and the 1972 “Trader Vic’s Bartender’s Guide.” While there are a few outliers like the Paloma or Tequila Sunrise, the fact of the matter is tequila has never been a popular spirit for mixing. This is unfortunate because it tastes great. Tequila is often had straight, but most tequila cocktails can be traced to one of those two sources. This recipe is no different and is from the 1972 Trader Vic’s Bartender’s Guide.

Recipe Resources

• 1972 Trader Vics Bartender’s Guide – Bergeron