New York Sour
The New York Sour has recently made it into my repertoire because it’s as delicious as it is beautiful. Most people who don’t typically care for whiskey can usually be won over with a good whiskey sour. The key to a whiskey sour, as with all drinks, is fresh citrus. Mixing whiskey with a store bought sour mix is not the same thing as making a fresh whiskey sour. I am a straight up snob when it comes to such things! However, I will make one exception to this rule: many bars have been offering sour mixes and other cocktail fixings during the pandemic as a way to stay afloat. I will fully support you if you purchase one of their fresh mixers. Before you do that, though, you need to make one for yourself so you can appreciate what we’re dealing with here. It’s really quite easy- fresh lemon juice, simple syrup, and whiskey or bourbon of your choice. (I used Templeton Rye in my cocktail.) Mix ingredients in a shaker with ice, shake until super cold and strain into an ice filled rocks glass.
To make it a New York Sour, you float red wine on the top by pouring the wine over the back of a spoon. The choice of wine is up to you. Most recipes call for a fruitier dry wine like a Malbec. I try to decide what kind of wine I’d like to drink the rest of the evening and choose accordingly. The red wine adds a bit more depth to the cocktail, as well as visual appeal. Fun fact on the name, it’s been said this drink actually originated in Chicago in the late 1800s and was first called a Continental Sour. It died off in popularity until it began showing up again in New York City, where it became known as the New York Sour. Enjoy!
New York Sour
2 oz rye whiskey
1 oz fresh lemon juice
1 oz simple syrup (you can dial this back to 3/4 oz if you want it less sweet or if you’re using bourbon, which I find sweeter than rye.)
ice
red wine, such as Malbec
Method:
Mix whiskey, lemon juice, and simple syrup in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake until the outside of the shaker is almost too cold to handle, about 30 seconds. Strain into an ice filled rocks glass. Pour red wine over the back of a spoon to float the wine on top of the cocktail.
