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Gringo Pisco Sour

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Photo by Chelsea Kyle

We have served this variation of the pisco sour ever since we first learned about the drink in the mid-1990s. There weren’t many pisco choices available back then, so we worked with what we had. One brand we used was Pisco Capel Reservado from Chile, a blend of 30 percent Muscat and 70 percent Pedro Jimenez and Torontel grapes, which give the spirit a nice sweet full flavor, as it’s aged in wood for up to 6 months. Because of the slight oak, it combines beautifully with fresh lemon juice, so our variation was a gringo-styled sour, tall over ice.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    makes 1 drink

Ingredients

2 ounces Pisco Capel Reservado brandy
3/4 ounce simple syrup (page 154)
3/4 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 ounce freshly squeezed orange juice
1 egg white
3 dashes Angostura bitters, for garnish
1 orange half-wheel, for garnish
1 brandied cherry (see page 36), for garnish

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Pour the brandy, syrup, juices, and egg white into a mixing glass. Close the shaker and shake very hard without ice for a few seconds. Add large cold ice cubes and shake vigorously for up to 30 seconds. Strain into a Collins glass filled with ice and garnish with the bitters, orange, and cherry.

  2. tasting notes

    Step 2

    Dominant Flavors: grape musk and citrus

    Step 3

    Body: creamy, chalky, chewy

    Step 4

    Dryness: off-dry

    Step 5

    Complexity: medium, subtle

    Step 6

    Accentuating or Contrasting Flavors: angostura bitters

    Step 7

    Finish: short, dry with citrus overtones

  3. Step 8

    Glass: Collins

Cover of Speakeasy by Jason Kosmas and Dushan Zaric featuring a coupe glass with a brown cocktail and lemon wheel garnish.
Reprinted with permission from Speakeasy: The Employees Only Guide to Classic Cocktails Reimagined by Jason Kosmas and Dushan Zaric, © 2010 Ten Speed Press. Buy the full book from Amazon or Bookshop.
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