4 Sour cocktails You Can Make in Less Than 3 Minutes

In the latest episode of Absolut Drinks with Rico, Rico shows how to make four different Sours in under three minutes each. And the best part is you don’t even need a fully stocked bar to make them.

You can use whatever spirit you’ve got kicking around – that bottle of amaretto you’ve had pushed in the back of the cupboard, a half-used bottle of whiskey, or that pisco you bought for one recipe and never touched again.

Sours are the inspiration behind countless classic and modern drinks and one of the oldest and most beloved cocktail families out there. Why? Because Sours are easy-to-make drinks that are beautifully balanced and seriously delicious.

What Are the Classic Sour Cocktails?

The classic sour cocktails are all built on the same simple formula — spirit, citrus, sweetness — and include the Amaretto Sour, the Whiskey Sour (the original that started it all), the New York Sour (a Manhattan-style twist on the Whiskey Sour), and the Pisco Sour.

Let’s start with the one built for after-dinner sipping — the Amaretto Sour.

1. Amaretto Sour

The Amaretto Sour is a sweet, nutty cocktail with a smooth, velvety texture and marzipan-like flavor. It’s a classic sour that works especially well for anyone who enjoys after-dinner drinks.

“Really, really velvety, super amazing aroma because you’re getting that fresh citrus zest as you smell it. You’re getting those marzipan almond flavors coming from the amaretto beautifully blended together,” shares Rico.

Ingredients

• 50 ml Amaretto
• 30 ml Lemon Juice
• 20 ml Simple Syrup
• 10 ml Egg White (or Aquafaba)

Garnish with a maraschino cherry to boost those sweet almond notes and an orange wedge.

One of the keys to a great sour is fine straining, so you get that velvety, smooth cocktail foam. And the Amaretto Sour is no exception. Learn how to double strain a cocktail.

2. Whiskey Sour

The Whiskey Sour is the original sour – the one that kicked off the whole family back in the mid-1800s. It’s all about balance: the warmth of whiskey, the sharpness of citrus, and just enough sweetness to tie it all together.

“A classic, classic drink – one of the best and a drink that everyone always asks for this is the Whiskey Sour. Aquafaba really gives the drink some good heavy body, the whiskey is perfectly blended with the sugar and with the lemon juice to mellow out all those flavors so you can sip it slowly.”

A classic Whiskey Sour mixes bourbon whiskey, lemon juice, simple syrup, and egg white. Don’t want to use simple syrup? Check out this article where we list some simple syrup alternatives.

Ingredients

• 50 ml Bourbon Whiskey
• 30 ml Lemon Juice
• 20 ml Simple Syrup
• 10 ml Egg White (or Aquafaba)

To finish, the Whiskey Sour is garnished with a lemon twist, a maraschino cherry, and a couple of dashes of aromatic bitters. Classic cocktails don’t get much better than a Whiskey Sour.

3. New York Sour

Bold, eye-catching, and a little bit extra; the New York Sour is what happens when a Whiskey Sour gets a Manhattan-style makeover.

“Possibly one of the best cocktails ever invented,” says Rico.

You’ve still got that same sharp, citrusy backbone and velvety texture of a classic Whiskey Sour, but swap the bourbon for rye and — wait for it — add a silky red wine float on top, and you’ve suddenly gone from a nice Rye Whiskey Sour to an incredible New York Sour.

Ingredients

• 50 ml Rye Whiskey
• 30 ml Lemon Juice
• 20 ml Simple Syrup
• 10 ml Egg White (or Aquafaba)
• 15 ml Claret

It’s a showstopper that looks impressive in the glass – those layered reds and golds – and it’s still built on the same simple sour formula you already know. A New York Sour tastes every bit as good as it looks, and then some.

4. Pisco Sour

A South American icon, the Pisco Sour is bright, citrusy, silky, and aromatic, with that beautiful foam on top – a must-try if you’ve never had one.

Like all sours, it’s an easy-to-make drink you can shake up in under 3 minutes, using the same simple formula you’ll see repeatedly in this episode.

Ingredients

• 50 ml Pisco
• 30 ml Lemon Juice
• 20 ml Simple Syrup
• 10 ml Egg White (or Aquafaba)

What is Pisco? Pisco is a spirit from Peru and Chile made from fermented grape juice – think of it as a cousin to brandy, but more fragrant, and built for citrus. It’s the kind of spirit that turns a simple sour into something a little bit unforgettable. Try it for yourself.

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