Tuaca (Italian pronunciation: [tuˈaːka]) is an Italian naturally flavored brandy liqueur. Tuaca is a sweet golden brown blend of brandy, citrus essences, vanilla, and other secret spices. It is bottled at 35% ABV (70 proof).
Tuaca's mild, sweet flavor makes it popular as a cordial, mixed by some with coffee, both hot and iced.[1]
The brand claims the recipe dates back to the Renaissance period, a not uncommon (but invariably poorly supported) claim. See Bénédictine. A legend it promotes claims that it was created in the 15th century for Lorenzo the Magnificent and rediscovered by brothers-in-law Gaetano Tuoni and Giorgio Canepa in 1938.[2] The liquor was first created as Brandy Milk, produced with milk, brandy and vanilla.[3] Later on, milk was dropped from the recipe, and the name was changed to Tuoca.
In the 1960s, Mario di Grazia, an Italian and the owner of a chain of liquor stores in San Francisco, began selling the liqueur in the United States. To make pronunciation in English easier the name was changed again to Tuaca.[4] [5] It is popular in Brighton and Hove, UK.
Brown-Forman of Louisville, Kentucky acquired the Tuaca brand in 2002, then sold it to Sazerac Company in 2016.
March 31, 2010, marked the closure of Livorno's historic Tuaca plant.[where?]