When you go searching for the Matador cocktail, you’re likely to stumble upon two completely different recipes. Both are tequila-based, but that’s where the similarities end. The one we’re interested in comes from William J. Tarling’s The Café Royal Cocktail Book (1937), while the other is from Victor Bergeron’s Trader Vic’s Bartender Guide (1972).
The History of the Matador Cocktail
The great thing about William J. Tarling’s book is that it’s one of the first places tequila-based cocktails show up in print. The downside? He doesn’t bother explaining their origins, so we’re left with more questions than answers.
This is true for the Matador, but also for the Picador, Toreador, and Bullfighter—all tequila-based, all with names inspired by bullfighting, and all with no information on who created them, when, or why they were named after bullfights. It’s one big mystery for mixology historians.
So, what can we say? The Matador likely dates back to the early 20th century, tied to the international spread of tequila, first in England and then in the U.S. Beyond that, we are pretty much in the dark.
The Name and Bullfighting
The name Matador refers to the “matador de toros,” the guy in the bullring who fights and kills the bull.
Sometimes people use “matador” and “torero” interchangeably, but the Treccani encyclopedia suggests more accuracy. “Torero” is a more general term that refers to anyone in the bullring, including the matador and the five members of his team (the “cuadrilla”), which includes both the picadores (on horseback) and the peones or banderilleros (on foot).
The Other Matador
As mentioned earlier, there’s a second cocktail out there. The full name is Tequila Matador, and it appears in Trader Vic’s Bartender Guide (Victor Bergeron, 1972). Other than tequila, the ingredients are totally different: pineapple juice and lime juice.
The Matador Cocktail Recipe (Tarling’s Version)
Here is the recipe as laid out by William J. Tarling in The Café Royal Cocktail Book (1937). He doesn’t specify what kind of tequila to use, but many versions out there recommend using reposado.
Ingredients
- 33 ml tequila
- 33 ml orange curaçao
- 33 ml dry vermouth
Method
Add all the ingredients to a shaker with ice cubes. Shake for a few seconds, then strain into a glass. Tarling doesn’t specify which glass, but you can’t go wrong with a coupe.
Garnish
None.
Image credits of Julie Couder and Coqtail, location Nik’s & Co, all rights reserved.
