New York Sour cocktail
Sour · Anytime · Summer

New York Sour

A whiskey sour with red wine floated on top so it sits in a dark layer. Tart underneath, fruity where the two meet.

Base
Whiskey
Glass
Old fashioned glass
Method
Shake
Strength
15.81% ABV

Ingredients

  • 60 mlRye Whiskey1 swap
    Bourbonmedium

    Softer and sweeter, less spice

  • 22.5 mlSimple Syrup1 swap
    Sugar syrup or agavehigh

    Little change

  • 30 mlFresh Lemon Juice1 swap
    Fresh lime juicemedium

    A touch sharper

  • few dropsEgg White
  • 15 mlRed wine

How to make

Technique
Shake · 10–15s

Shaking chills the drink fast while adding dilution and a light texture.

  1. Pour all ingredients into the shaker.
  2. Shake vigorously with ice.
  3. Strain into a chilled rocks glass filled with ice.
  4. Float the wine on top.

Serve

Glass
Old fashioned glassAlso fine: Double old fashioned glass, Rocks glass, Tumbler
Garnish
Garnish with lemon or orange zest with cherry.Lemon keeps it sharp, orange softens it — pick one, not both.

Taste & nutrition

15.81%ABV
223kcal
1.98Drinks
StrengthMedium
Sweet to dryDry

Estimated from ingredient amounts and assumed ABVs — not a lab measurement.

Good to know

  • Dry-shake without ice first to build the foam, then shake again with ice.
  • Use freshly squeezed juice — bottled tastes flat.

History

Year1880s
PlaceUSA
Created byUnknown

A Whiskey Sour finished with a floated layer of red wine, the New York Sour dates to the 1880s and is often traced to Chicago bartenders. It went by several names — Continental Sour, Southern Whiskey Sour — before New York claimed it. The wine float adds colour, fruit and a dry edge to the sour base. It is a striking, layered take on a classic.

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