About the Recipe
The New York Sour is recognized by the International Bartenders Association as an official cocktail in the category of New Era Drinks; it originated in the late 1800s and has also been called the Continental Sour and the Southern Whiskey Sour. While the ingredient list is fairly standard, there is a bit of room for variation. This recipe specifies bourbon, but some versions of the cocktail use rye whiskey instead — experiment with both and decide which you prefer. You'll get more spice notes with rye, and a sweeter, more mellow vanilla profile with bourbon.
Ingredients
1/4 cup (2 ounces) bourbon
2 tablespoons (1 ounce) fresh lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
1 tablespoon (1/2 ounce) simple syrup
2 tablespoons (1 ounce) fruity red wine, such as Zinfandel or Gamay
1 strip lemon zest
Preparation
Step 1
Fill a cocktail shaker with ice.
Step 2
Add bourbon, lemon juice, and simple syrup; seal lid on shaker and shake until chilled and frost forms on shaker, about 15 seconds.
Step 3
Strain into a rocks glass filled with large ice cubes
Step 4
Gently and slowly, pour wine over the back of a spoon held just above the cocktail's surface, letting the wine float at top of glass.
Step 5
Pinch lemon peel over the cocktail and run it around the rim of the glass; add peel to glass as a garnish. Serve immediately.