Trader Vic's Sour

Difford's Guide
Discerning Drinkers (35 ratings)

Serve in an

Old-fashioned glass

Photographed in an

Urban Bar Freddo Old Fashioned

Garnish:

Dehydrated orange slice wheel

How to make:

SHAKE all ingredients with ice and strain into ice-filled glass.

1 fl oz Blended Scotch whisky
1/2 fl oz Bourbon whiskey
1/2 fl oz Cognac (brandy)
2/3 fl oz Lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
1/3 fl oz Giffard Orgeat Syrup
1/6 fl oz Sugar syrup 'rich' (2 sugar to 1 water, 65.0°Brix)
3 drop Saline solution 4:1 (20g sea salt to 80g water)
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Hazardous ingredients

Giffard Orgeat Syrup is potentially hazardous to those with allergy or intolerance.

Review:

Most sour renditions are strictly solo spirit-based, but why be so constricting when you can have a threesome? I like to let scotch have its way over the other two participants as this seems to help the trio sit harmoniously with the citrus and rich almond sugar. There's no need for block ice or other niceties – it's not that kind of trio.

History:

Inspired by rather than actually made by Trader Vic. Indeed, this recipe is by Although you won't find a cocktail named a "Trader Vic's Sour" in any of his numerous books, he did like a sour with orgeat (e.g. his London Sour), and the proportions are in keeping with the essence of his numerous sour recipes.

SOURS
A Sour can be the most disappointing drink in the world if it is not made with fresh lemon juice. And just because it is Sour doesn't mean it should be all lemon juice. Give your customer a break – not heartburn.

Victor Bergeron, 1972 Trader Vic's Bartender's Guide

Alcohol content:

  • 1.4 standard drinks
  • 20.36% alc./vol. (40.72° proof)
  • 19.4 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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Buy direct from
the_whisky_exchange store logo
£ -.--

Makes a minimum of ... cocktails
Just £ -.-- per cocktail*

* This list may not include all required ingredients.
Price per cocktail is an estimate based on the cost of making one cocktail with the available ingredients shown above and does not include any postage charges.
Buy direct from Difford’s Guide
Difford's Easy Jigger
£8.72 £8.72 exc VAT
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