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Cocktail History
The Kuzcotopia is a Sips From Scripts original cocktail that was created for a Disney contest hosted by Liber & Co. The recipe takes inspiration from The Emperor’s New Groove, a Disney animated movie set in South America, which is why we chose the Brazilian spirit Pisco for the drink’s base. We then paired it with a few other ingredients native to the continent, including fruit juices and chili pepper, and we added a bit of Aperol for a deliciously bitter bite and a hint of color to shift its hue closer to that of Kuzco’s vacation home.
Cocktail Ingredients
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:
Pisco: This is a type of brandy made in Peru or Chile with fermented grape juice. We used Capel Pisco Premium Liqueur because it has a high quality flavor with notes of spice and herbs. For a mocktail version of this drink, try Escape Mocktails Non-Alcoholic Cognac Alternative in place of the brandy.
Aperol: This is an apéritif made in Italy with gentian root, rhubarb, cinchona, sugar, and alcohol. For a mocktail version of this drink, try Free Spirits Non-Alcoholic Aperitivo in place of the bitter liqueur.
Passion Fruit Syrup: This is a sweetener made with passion fruit juice, cane sugar, and gum Arabic powder. We used Liber & Co. Tropical Passion Fruit Syrup because it has a tangy, fresh flavor.
Grapefruit Juice: This is the liquid juice of a grapefruit. We used freshly squeezed grapefruit juice.
Lime Juice: This is the liquid juice of a lime. We used freshly squeezed lime juice.
Hot Pepper Bitters: This is a spirit made with peppers, botanicals, herbs, and alcohol. We used Infuse Bitters Tres Amigos Bitters because they have a unique hot habanero, Thai chili, and Puya pepper flavor.
Lime Slice: This is a slice of lime that has been cut into a half wheel shape.
Bartending Tools
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following bar tools:
Jigger: This is used to measure and pour ingredients. We used the Japanese jigger from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.
Boston Shaker: This is used to shake ingredients. We used the Boston shaker from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.
Hawthorne Strainer: This is used to strain out ice and solid ingredients after the cocktail is shaken. We used the A Bar Above Hawthorne Strainer.
Paring Knife: This is used to cut ingredients. We used the OXO Good Grips 3.5 Inch Paring Knife.
Juicer: This is used to juice citrus. We used the ALEEHAI Manual Fruit Juicer.
Cocktail Pick: This is used to hold the garnish. We used one from the Viski Gunmetal Cocktail Pick Set.
Tasting Notes
The Kuzcotopia tastes like the paradise for which it’s named. It has a fruity scent, a very passion fruit-forward initial taste that evolves into grapefruit as it sits in the mouth, and the strong aftertaste of Aperol and citrus bitterness combined with passion fruit sweetness. And for the grand finale, it leaves a hint of chili spice on the tongue that almost makes you wonder if it’s poisoned…
Our Opinion of This Cocktail Recipe: Even if you’re not a huge fan of the Mouse, this cocktail is absolutely delicious—a combination of flavors that are contemplative and complex yet very easy going down. We both think it would make Kuzco himself say, “Bring it on.”
Which of our palates is yours most like?
Find out if your palate is most similar to Alex’s or Kendall’s by answering five questions.
Which of our palates is yours most like?
Find out if your palate is most similar to Alex’s or Kendall’s by answering five questions.
Alex’s Take: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
“When coming up with this drink, I worked really hard to mix the ingredients of South America, as that’s where Kuzco and the rest of the Incan civilization lived. Naturally I turned to Pisco for the base, the spicy flavors of chili, citrus, and, of course, passion fruit. The Aperol was an added touch for some color, as well as to give the drink a slight ‘poisoned’ bitterness, and it really shines through as an important ingredient. The passion fruit is easily the most prominent flavor, giving the drink its bright sweetness, and Liber & Co.’s ingredient is what spurred me to create this recipe in the first place.”—
Kendall’s Take: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
“I know we created this for a Disney-themed cocktail contest, which usually result in pretty kitschy recipes… but this drink is so, so, so tasty. The passion fruit syrup mixed with fresh citrus and Pisco make for a great trio. Add in the tongue-tingling heat from the chili pepper bitters, and it becomes chef’s kiss I could see this on a bar menu somewhere in South America for sure, with locals and tourists alike sucking down one after another.”
Recipe
Add Pisco, Aperol, passion fruit syrup, grapefruit juice, lime juice, bitters, and cubed ice to a shaker.
Shake for 10-20 seconds.
Strain into a tiki glass or cocktail glass.
Garnish with lime slice.
Ingredients
Directions
Add Pisco, Aperol, passion fruit syrup, grapefruit juice, lime juice, bitters, and cubed ice to a shaker.
Shake for 10-20 seconds.
Strain into a tiki glass or cocktail glass.
Garnish with lime slice.
Make It a Mocktail: Use Escape Mocktails Non-Alcoholic Cognac Alternative and Free Spirits Non-Alcoholic Aperitivo in place of the bitter liqueur to try a booze-free version of this drink.
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More Tiki Cocktails
If you like this tiki-inspired cocktail recipe, here are a few others we’ve tried that you may enjoy:
Fog Cutter: A rum, brandy, gin, and sherry cocktail made with triple sec, lemon juice, orgeat syrup, an orange peel, mint, and an orchid blossom
Zombie: A rum cocktail made with velvet falernum liqueur, Donn’s mix, lime juice, absinthe, grenadine, Angostura aromatic bitters, and mint
Ginger Inferno: A rum cocktail made with ginger liqueur, velvet falernum liqueur, lime juice, lemon juice, cinnamon syrup, a lime slice, and candied ginger
Greena Colada: A rum cocktail made with triple sec, lime juice, lemon juice, Green Chartreuse, velvet falernum liqueur, crème of coconut, mint, and a lime wheel
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