I've been playing around with Tuaca this week. It's a vanilla and citrus-flavored liqueur, originally from Italy, but now produced in the United States. The sweet vanilla flavor dominates, with the brandy and citrus (orange, I believe) taking a backseat.
Tuaca enjoyed a burst of popularity a few years back when bartenders started mixing it into cocktails. I haven't heard a lot about it lately, but I think it has a lot of potential for mixing. It takes fine straight up (just make sure you drink it cold), with an authentic vanilla flavor. But I think its real potential is in cocktails.
You can find quite a few recipes on their website, but here's a variation of one that I mixed up and especially enjoyed.
Vanilla Berry Fizz
1 1/2 oz Tuaca
1 oz Gin
3 Strawberries
1/2 oz Lemon Juice
1/2 oz Simple Syrup
Soda Water
Muddle strawberries at the bottom of a mixing glass, along with lemon juice and simple syrup.
Add all other ingredients (except the soda water) and shake with ice. Double strain into an ice-filled Collins glass. Garnish with a strawberry.
I used Plymouth Gin, which mixes very well in drinks like this. But you can use any good quality gin.
I initially made this without the simple syrup, but it was too tart. (Probably the fault of the early-season strawberries.) If your strawberries are on the sweet side, you can probably leave out the extra sugar.
Cheers!
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