El Diablo

ABV

2.4 standard drinks

Glassware

Coupe

Prep Time

5 min

Ingredients

  • 45ml tequila reposado
  • 15ml crème de cassis (or substitute Chambord or crème de mure)
  • 20ml lime juice
  • 90ml ginger beer

Instructions

  1. Add tequila, creme de CassisSHAKE first 3 ingredients with ice.
  2. STRAIN into ice-filled glass whilst also pouring ginger beer.

The Range

History

The El Diablo traces its roots to the 1940s, first appearing in Trader Vic's Book of Food and Drink (1946), making it one of the earliest tequila cocktails to gain international recognition — a remarkable feat at a time when tequila was still a novelty outside of Mexico. Victor Bergeron, the legendary tiki bar pioneer behind Trader Vic's, is credited with its creation, pairing tequila with the then-fashionable crème de cassis and ginger beer to produce something genuinely original. For decades the recipe remained a bartender's secret, quietly passed between professionals before the craft cocktail revival of the 2000s brought it back into the spotlight. Today, the El Diablo is celebrated as a classic, a testament to how the right combination of bold, contrasting flavours can stand the test of time.