Kentucky Flyer

Difford’s Guide
Discerning Drinkers (33 ratings)

Serve in a Nick & Nora glass

Ingredients:
1 12 oz Straight rye whiskey (100 proof /50% alc./vol.)
12 oz Luxardo Maraschino liqueur
13 oz Lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
16 oz Chilled water omit if using wet ice
3 drop Saline solution 4:1 (20g sea salt to 80g water)
× 1 1 serving
Read about cocktail measures and measuring

How to make:

  1. Select and pre-chill a Nick & Nora glass.
  2. Prepare garnish of skewered Luxardo Maraschino Cherries & mint sprig.
  3. SHAKE all ingredients with ice.
  4. FINE STRAIN into chilled glass.
  5. Garnish with skewered cherry and mint sprigs bouquet.

Strength & taste guide:

No alcohol
Medium
Boozy
Strength 8/10
Sweet
Medium
Dry/sour
Sweet to sour 7/10

Review:

A rye whiskey and maraschino sour, originally made to fill a coupe, but in pursuit of responsible measures, I've reduced by a third to nestle in a Nick & Nora glass.

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History:

Adapted from a recipe created in 2011 by Sierra Zimei, cocktail director at Seasons Bar and Lounge in the Four Seasons Hotel in San Francisco, USA. This cocktail's notoriety was helped by its being included in Gary "gaz" Regan's 101 Best New Cocktails of 2011. Originally made with 60ml rye whiskey, 22.5ml maraschino liqueur, and 15ml lemon juice.

Nutrition:

One serving of Kentucky Flyer contains 137 calories

Alcohol content:

  • 1.4 standard drinks
  • 26.79% alc./vol. (26.79° proof)
  • 20.1 grams of pure alcohol

Difford’s Guide remains free-to-use thanks to the support of the brands in green above. Values stated for alcohol and calorie content, and number of drinks an ingredient makes should be considered approximate.

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RogerM’s Avatar RogerM
30th November 2024 at 04:19
If this is a 'A rye whiskey and maraschino sour', then why is it made with Bourbon?
Simon Difford’s Avatar Simon Difford
30th November 2024 at 18:57
Apologies. This should be, and is better, based on rye. I was too quick to select the whiskey category from our drop menu! Now corrected.
3rd July 2022 at 06:18
I've tried this with both Tennessee whiskey and rye. In my opinion the spiciness of rye adds some depth that the Tennessee whiskey lacks. But then again, I prefer rye to Tennessee whiskey so I may be a bit biased.