New York Sour

By Steve Kilcullen Jump to Recipe

A tipple with a difference, the New York Sour adds the tart taste of red wine to the whiskey and lemon juice mixture.

Nothing beats a Sour after a really long and tough day. I’ve grown quite fond of Bourbon Sours myself, and usually just stick to the three-ingredient version, no egg white. Some High West, lemon juice and simple syrup shaken up and poured over ice in a rocks glass… Well, there’s a few things that are finer, but not much.

Tonight’s drink, the New York Sour, takes that classic recipe a step further by adding a red wine float. Not only does this add some tart notes to your cocktail, it also gives the drink a lovely layered effect, going from golden on the bottom, to red and finally white on the top floor with the egg white. But what part of New York does this drink hail from, and when was it created?

For a start, this drink wasn’t originally crafted in the Big Apple at all, or anywhere in the Excelsior State. The actual history of this particular beverage is a little muddy, but there are some clues to help narrow things down. Most cocktail historians agree that the New York Sour was invented in Chicago sometime around the 1880s. In fact, the red wine that’s poured on top was first called a “claret snap” in 1883, and the addition became so popular that patrons began expecting it when they ordered their normal Whiskey Sours. This version of the cocktail began to spread to other bars in the Windy City and was then called the Continental or Southern Whiskey Sour. After a while, this recipe soon found itself in bars all around the country.

While no one knows how the drink came to be known as it is today, by the name New York Sour, it appears as though this was the moniker that stuck with the drink after Prohibition ended. The next time you’ve poured yourself a Sour with either whiskey or bourbon, try a little red wine in it, if you have some.

What Is The Best Alcohol To Use In a New York Sour?

I’ve mentioned that I enjoy bourbon in my sours, but I also like to alternate between rye whiskey as well. Bourbon is aged, a little smoother as a result and carries with it some sweeter notes, like vanilla and caramel. Rye will be spicy, a little hotter on the finish of each sip, and also a little lighter in color. They both meld seamlessly in your cocktail, and with the wine, so your choice depends on your mood. As far as choosing some vino, a dry fruity blend is the way to go, such as a Cabernet Sauvignon or a Merlot.

What glassware and garnish are used?

Serve this drink in a rocks or Old Fashioned glass filled with ice. While garnish is optional, you can pop a lemon wheel on the rim or a maraschino cherry on top via a cocktail skewer.

How do You “Float” The Wine?

Slowly pour the red wine over the back of a bar spoon so it fans out over your drink, rather than just splashing right into and through it. This method will give you the layered effect you’re going for. Take your time, and don’t get upset if it doesn’t go the way you like the first time you try it, it takes a little practice and finesse to get it right.

Variations on the New York Sour

Lemon juice, simple syrup and your preferred base spirit… That’s all you need to craft yourself a classic dram known as the Sour. Sometimes you can throw an egg white in there, adding a little frothy smoothness to each sip. However you enjoy a Sour, you can take comfort in the knowledge that they’re only one ingredient away from being something very different to the last one you drank. Check these versions out below and give them a try.

• Paloma Sour – The grapefruit-flavored cocktail gets a Sour of its own.
• Amaretto Stone Sour – A smooth and strong citrus and almond-tasting sipper.
• Pisco Sour – This popular Sour features the Peruvian spirit pisco as its base.
• Trinidad Sour – This tipple features Angostura bitters as the main liquor for a robust experience.