Round The World Cocktail edition coming in hot, or rather cold, served on the rocks. Today, I’m highlighting one of my first cocktail loves, the New York Sour. SPOILER: The New York Sour didn’t originate in NYC.
As the name presumes, in the cocktail canon, the New York Sour is of the sour cocktail family, dating back to the mid-1800s when we first see sours referenced. The New York Sour cocktail seems to have first appeared in print in the late-1800s, in Chicago. Back then, it went by a few names, including the Continental Sour, Southern Whiskey Sour, and Claret Snap. It’s not too clear how the New York Sour name came to be, but it’s fitting considering New York City’s contribution to cocktail history and culture.
For those Boardwalk Empire fans, you may remember the premiere of season 4, aptly named “New York Sour,” in which the New York Sour makes an appearance. While the New York Sour may not have the pop culture clout of the Martini, Vesper, or White Russian, it deserves its place in cocktail canon.
What makes this whiskey sour such a unique cocktail is the red wine float on top. The New York Sour cocktail may not be your everyday cocktail, but don’t sleep on it, just because there’s wine in the ingredient list. In my opinion, the New York Sour is one of the best, most interesting four-ingredient cocktails. Read on for the recipe.
New York Sour
🍹2 oz. whiskey
🍹.25-.5 oz. simple syrup
🍹 .75 oz. lemon juice
🍹 .5 oz. red wine
Method: Add all the ingredients, but the wine, to a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake and then strain into a rocks glass filled with ice. Then place a spoon just over the surface of the drink, turning it over so that the bottom of the spoon is facing up just over the top of the liquid, and gently pour the wine over the back of the spoon. Cheers!
