The Rabo de Galo recipe
the aperitif of São Paulo
Pour the cachaça, red vermouth and Cynar directly into a tumbler.
Add 2 drops of Angostura bitters to taste.
Fill the glass with ice, preferably one large ice cube, and stir for ten seconds with a bar spoon.
Express an orange zest over the glass so the oil lands on the drink, and hang it on the rim as a twist.
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The story
The Rabo de Galo became popular in São Paulo in the mid-1950s, after the Italian vermouth producer Cinzano had opened a factory there. To sell more vermouth, the brand encouraged people to mix it with cachaça, the drink already found on shelves throughout Brazil. The combination caught on in simple neighborhood cafés, where, according to tradition, it was first served as a shot, sometimes with a few drops spilled on the ground for the saints. The name means rooster’s tail and is often interpreted as a Portuguese translation of the English word cocktail. Older versions often consisted only of cachaça and vermouth; Cynar is included in most modern recipes, including the IBA’s, which classifies the drink as a Contemporary Classic.
The right glass
The IBA specifies a rocks glass, and a 32 to 38 cl tumbler is the right size for this. You build the cocktail directly in the glass, so the base needs to be thick and sturdy: you stir it with ice and a bar spoon. With 9.5 cl of liquid and a large ice cube, the glass is about half full, leaving room for the orange zest. A heavy glass also keeps the drink chilled for longer. View our tumbler glasses.
Eclat Longchamp Tumbler 32 cl (6 pieces)
RCR Aria Tumbler 38 cl (6 pieces)
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The right tools
For a Rabo de Galo, besides the glass you need a bar spoon for stirring, a jigger for precise measuring, a bitters bottle, a zester for the twist, and large ice cubes. These are the bar tools we use ourselves; you’ll find everything in our bar tools & cocktail sets.
Glass set (our choice 01) + 5 bar tools together € 192,70.
What do you use to make a Rabo de Galo?
You need the right base for a Rabo de Galo. Well-known bottles include Martini, Martini Riserva Speciale Rubino and Angostura. On each drink page, you can read the percentage, what it tastes like, which cocktails it pairs with and which glass you need.
Variations & twists
There are countless versions in Brazil. The simplest is half cachaça and half red vermouth, without Cynar, as it is still served in many neighborhood cafés. An aged cachaça from wooden barrels makes the drink rounder and fuller. If you replace the cachaça with gin and the Cynar with Campari, you move toward the Negroni; with bourbon and Campari, you get close to the Boulevardier.
Serving tip
Serve the Rabo de Galo as an aperitif, with a bowl of salted cashews or warm cheese rolls on the side. Store the vermouth in the refrigerator after opening; this keeps it fresh for a month or two. Stir briefly, because a large ice cube dilutes the drink slowly, and that is the intention here.
Good to know
What is cachaça
Cachaça is Brazil's national spirit, distilled from freshly pressed and fermented sugarcane juice. That is the difference from most rum, which is made from molasses. As a result, cachaça smells grassier and fruitier, with a slightly earthy note. There are two main types. White cachaça is unaged or briefly aged and is fresh and direct; it is used in a Caipirinha. Aged cachaça has been matured in wood, sometimes Brazilian woods such as amburana, and is rounder and more herbal. Both work in a Rabo de Galo: white makes it fresher, while aged makes it fuller.
What is Cynar and what can you use instead
Cynar is an Italian bitter liqueur made with herbs and plants, with artichoke as its best-known ingredient. It is dark brown, bittersweet, and relatively light at around 16.5 percent ABV. In a Rabo de Galo, it adds depth and a dry, bitter finish that keeps the sweet vermouth in check. If you do not have Cynar, use another Italian amaro, such as Averna or Ramazzotti; they are slightly sweeter. Campari also works, but makes the drink more bitter and redder. If you leave it out entirely, use 3 cl of vermouth and a few drops of bitters.
Which vermouth to use for a Rabo de Galo
The IBA specifies Cinzano Rosso, which makes sense given the history. But any good sweet vermouth works, such as Martini Rosso. Sweet vermouth is a fortified wine with herbs and sugar, usually around 15 to 18 percent ABV. A fuller vermouth, such as a riserva, makes the drink richer and rounder. A light, sweet vermouth gives the cachaça more room. Pay particular attention to freshness: a bottle that has been open for months and left outside the refrigerator tastes flat and sour, and you will notice that immediately in a drink with only three ingredients.
Rabo de Galo alongside Negroni and Manhattan
All three are stirred drinks made with a spirit, vermouth, and a bitter component. The Manhattan uses rye or bourbon with sweet vermouth and Angostura, giving it a warm, woody character. The Negroni combines equal parts gin, sweet vermouth, and Campari and is the most bitter of the three. The Rabo de Galo falls somewhere in between: its ratio resembles that of the Manhattan, but cachaça makes it grassier and fruitier, while Cynar brings a softer, more herbal bitterness than Campari. It is also built in the glass rather than stirred in a mixing glass.
Rabo de Galo for a group
Because it contains no juice, you can mix the Rabo de Galo hours in advance. For ten glasses, mix 60 cl cachaça, 20 cl sweet vermouth and 15 cl Cynar in a bottle, optionally with a few drops of bitters. Put the bottle in the refrigerator. When serving, pour 9.5 cl into each glass over a large ice cube, stir briefly and squeeze an orange zest over it. That way, you do not have to measure all evening. The mixed base will keep in the refrigerator for about a week.
How much alcohol is in a Rabo de Galo
Expect about 24 percent alcohol in the glass. The 6 cl of 40 percent cachaça provides 2.4 cl of pure alcohol, the 2 cl of 15 percent vermouth 0.3 cl, and the 1.5 cl of Cynar about 0.25 cl as well. Together, that is nearly 3 cl of pure alcohol, equivalent to more than two standard drinks. With meltwater, you end up with about 12 cl in the glass. So it is not a light aperitif, even though it feels that way because of the sweet vermouth. Drink it slowly and let the ice do its work.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Rabo de Galo?
A Rabo de Galo is a Brazilian cocktail made with 6 cl cachaça, 2 cl sweet vermouth and 1.5 cl Cynar, stirred directly in a tumbler over ice. It is finished with an orange zest. The IBA classifies it as a Contemporary Classic.
What does Rabo de Galo mean?
Rabo de galo is Portuguese for rooster's tail. The name is often seen as a literal translation of the English word cocktail, which can also be read as cock's tail. In Brazil, it is the usual name for this drink, even in the simplest bars.
Can you make a Rabo de Galo without Cynar?
Yes, and that is how it was often originally drunk: just cachaça and sweet vermouth, sometimes in equal parts. In that case, use 3 cl vermouth to 6 cl cachaça and add a few drops of Angostura for extra bitterness. Another amaro can also replace Cynar.
Which glass do you use for a Rabo de Galo?
A tumbler or rocks glass of 32 to 38 cl with a thick base. You build the drink directly in the glass and stir it with ice, so it needs to be sturdy. A large ice cube keeps the drink cold without diluting it too quickly.
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