New York Sour – Craft a Classic

New York Sour

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An Evolved Bourbon Sour

The New York Sour is an evolved version of the classic Bourbon sour, taking influence from its namesake city. The New York Sour has a bourbon base, fresh lemon juice and simple syrup – for added flavour and colour it has a layer of red wine floated on top.

This drink is well-balanced between sweet and tart, with a complex flavor that’s perfect for keeping things interesting:

What’s in a New York Sour

The New York Sour is a classic variation on a bourbon sour. It is made with bourbon, lemon juice, simple syrup and topped with a red wine float. In short, it is a bourbon sour with a red wine float.

• Bourbon – Bourbon is the classic choice, but you can easily use your favourite whiskey here. 
• Fresh Lemon Juice – Fresh squeezed is always best.
• Simple Syrup – Simple. Of course, you can add interesting flavour by switching out the simple for other natural syrups like maple or agave. Or you can use a flavoured syrup. 
• Red Wine – Nobody really specifies what red wine to use, But there is an opportunity to work up some interesting pairings here.

There is a lot of opportunity to vary the ingredients used in a New York Sour. If you are sticking to the standard sour cocktail proportions as your guide it is hard to go wrong. The only tricky bit is the red wine float. We’ll show you how to do that in the how to make it section. You can also add egg whites to create a frothy head on the drink.

The Sweet – Simple Syrup

Simple syrup is dead easy to make. It really is just equal parts sugar and water. All you have to do is dissolve the sugar into the water. It’s easiest to do this with hot water, so most people simmer it on the stove. People will try to complicate it, but it’s that easy. 

You have choices here. Other syrups are an easy substitute. Maple syrup is going to give you rich flavour and compliment Bourbon nicely. Agave syrup could work here as well. There are also a variety of flavoured syrups that you could choose from. 

The Sour

Fresh squeezed lemon juice is the go-to here. It’s simple, bright flavours and the perfect level of acidity. This is not a drink where I’d stray too far. Meyer lemons or yuzu juice could be delicious and interesting choices, but generally I’d stick close to lemon.

The Best Whiskey for a New York Sour – Bourbon or Rye?

So, what is the best whiskey for a New York Sour? Bourbon keeps this drink approachable. It has lots of vanilla and caramel flavour that work well with everything else. Rye can be easily substituted, but you want to be careful with it. Rye can be very spicy and packs a lot of punch flavour-wise. 

If you want to try other styles of whiskey you are in pretty safe territory. Irish whiskeys are a reasonable substitute. A single malt could take things in an interesting direction. Something with a little peat smoke is worth trying. 

The Red Wine Float

Sadly, this ingredient doesn’t get enough discussion. Pairing wine with citrus is challenging. It is also one of the more interesting aspects of this drink.

So, what is the best wine to use in a New York Sour? I’d choose a bold red with lots of fruit, good acidity and tannic structure. Those qualities will help it stand up to the acidity in the lemon. Rioja Reserva fits the bill pretty well here. Spanish wines also often have a distinct oakiness that pairs well with Bourbon. Another good option is a Chianti Classico or a Valpolicella.

How to Make a New York Sour

Making a New York Sour is a two step process.

1. Make a Bourbon Sour – Simply shake and strain everything except the red wine into a rocks glass filled with ice.
2. Float a red wine on top – Next, carefully float your red wine on top to create a distinct red layer on top. The trick to layering is to do it slowly and gently. Hold the back of a spoon against the side of the glass just below the rim. Slowly pour the red wine over the back of the spoon and watch it settle into a nice layer on top of the sour.

New York Sour Recipe

The New York Sour is an evolved version of a bourbon sour with a red wine float on top for added depth, complexity and flavour.

• cocktail shaker
• spoon

• 1 oz Bourbon
• 1 oz simple syrup
• 1 oz fresh squeezed lemon juice
• 1 oz red wine

1. Fill a shaker with ice. Add Bourbon, lemon juice and simple syrup. Shake until diluted and well chilled.

2. Strain into a rocks glass filled with ice.

3. Carefully layer red wine on top of by slowly pouring it over the back of a spoon held upside down against the side of the glass just below the rim.

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