History of the El Diablo Cocktail in Trader Vic's Books

I was trying to find the first reference to the El Diablo cocktail recently.

Mexican El Diablo

1/2 lime
1 ounce tequila
1/2 crème de cassis
Ginger Ale

Squeeze lime juice into a 10-ounce glass; drop in spent shell. Add ice cubes, tequila, and crème de cassis. Fill glass with ginger ale.

Searching the web, the earliest reference I read to it was from Trader Vic's books of 1946 and 1947.

I asked tiki expert Martin Cate, who has these books, if he knew if the drink was a Trader Vic original. After his research it's still not entirely clear, but the research is interesting in itself.

Martin says:

IT IS in the 1946 TV Book of Food and Drink- It is called a "Mexican El Diablo" and it IS singled out as an original cocktail.

 

IT IS in the 1947 TV Bartender's Guide again as a "Mexican El Diablo", but does not declare it an original- although that book does not specify.

 

It's not in the TV Kitchen Kibitzer 1952

 

IT IS in the TV Pacific Island Cookbook of 1968, but now called "El Diablo" only

 

IT IS in the TV Bartender Guide Revised 1972 as an "El Diablo", but does not say it's his.  This edition DOES call out original drinks.

Thanks Martin!

If anyone finds an earlier reference to the El Diablo or Mexican El Diablo, please let me know.