El Diablo

The El Diablo is the family of Buck cocktails and consists of Tequila, Fresh Lime Juice, Blackcurrant Liqueur, and Ginger Ale. It dates to at least the mid-1940s.

Historical Citations

"Trader Vic's Book of Food and Drink", by Trader Vic, 1946

MEXICAN EL DIABLO

I hate like hell to bring up unpleasant things at a time like this but go easy on this one because it's tough on your running board.

• 1/2 lime
• 1 ounce tequila
• 1/2 ounce creme de cassis
• Ginger ale

Squeeze and drop shell of lime in a 10-ounce glass; add cracked ice, tequila, and cr�me de cassis; fill rest of glass with ginger ale.

"Trader Vic's Pacific Island Cookbook, 1968

• In a 10 Ounce glass with cracked ice:
• juice of 1/2 lime; drop shell in glass
• 1 ounce tequila
• 1/2 ounce creme de cassis
• ginger ale

Squeeze lime and drop shell in glass. Add tequila and creme de cassis. Stir and fill glass with ginger ale. Serve with a malt straw.

"Trader Vic's Bartender's Guide", by Trader Vic, 1972

• 1/2 Lime
• 1 oz Tequila
• 1/2 oz Creme de cassis
• Ginger ale

Squeeze lime juice into a 10 oz glass over ice cubes; add spent lime shell. Add tequila and creme de cassis. Stir. Fill glass wtih ginger ale.

Similar Drinks

ESQUIRE, December 1953, "Painting the Town" column, pg. 76, col. 3

POTABLES

Drink of the Month

Then there is another cocktail with a tequila base--the Flamenco Dancer:

• Juice of 1/2 large lime
• 1 ounce Tequila
• 1/2 ounce creme de cassis

Squeeze the lime and drop the shell in a highball glass, fill with cracked ice, add the other ingredients, stir briskly and fill with ice-cold ginger ale.

BANG TIDY, Autumn 2008, Leicester, UK

HUSH

Cocktail of the Month

This variation on the El Diablo involves equal parts of gold tequila and creme de cassis and with an additional dash of orange juice:

• Juice of 1/2 large lime
• 1 ounce Tequila
• 1 ounce creme de cassis
• 1 ounce orange juice

Squeeze the lime and drop the shell in a highball glass, fill with cracked ice, add the other ingredients, stir briskly and fill with ice-cold ginger ale.