Tortuga – Classic Recipe & History

March 31, 2022

Tortuga

5 from 1 vote

Course: DrinksCuisine: American

Servings

servings

Calories

325

kcal

ABV

23%

Total time

minutes

Make a Classic Tortuga Cocktail

Ingredients

US Metric

1/2 oz 15 ml Lime Juice
1 oz 30 ml Lemon Juice
1.5 oz 45 ml Orange Juice
1 tsp 5 ml Grenadine
1 tsp 5 ml Creme de Cacao
1 tsp 5 ml Orange Liqueur
1 oz 30 ml Sweet Vermouth
1 oz 30 ml 151

Directions

Technique: Tiki Dirty Pour
Combine all ingredients into a shaker with crushed ice.
Vigorously shake for 10 seconds.
Dirty pour the whole shaker into a glass. Crushed ice and all.
Garnish:
Mint bouquet

What Does The Tortuga Taste Like?

This is a strangely good cocktail. I had concerns when I first read the ingredients, but they somehow worked. Orange and chocolate are the most prominent flavors of this cocktail, and orange and chocolate go very well together. The sweet vermouth balances out the heavy citrus flavors, and somehow it all comes together to make a delicious cocktail.

The History Of The Tortuga.

The Tortuga first appears in Trader Vic’s original 1947 edition of his bartender’s guide, where it is called a Tortuga Punch in the index and just a Tortuga on the recipe page. The recipe in the 1947 edition is the same as the recipe in the 1972 edition. If you are looking for an unusual tiki cocktail, try making a Tortuga. I taste great, and it perfectly represents the tiki design by blending exotic spices and flavors with hard alcohol and juices.