Looking for an iconic drink for the holidays? Here’s a twist on the classic Whiskey Sour that Ed discovered. What makes it a Boston Sour? Add an egg white to give it some froth. The rest of the ingredients remain the same.
This drink uses a technique called a “dry shake.” It’s like a traditional shake in a cocktail shaker but without the ice. The first shake includes the egg whites, lemon juice, simple syrup and a dash of bitters. Once you shake that to a nice froth you add whiskey (or bourbon) plus ice for a second shake. We like to use Kentucky bourbon in this recipe but any whiskey will do.
Garnish it with a nice piece of orange peel – twisted so as to release some of its oils. Add to it a maraschino cherry. Not just any maraschino cherry – seek out Luxardo Maraschino Cherries which are the original maraschino cherry. They are so unlike the star of our childhood Shirley Temples. I assure you that it is worth the search for them and the cost. It’s about $20 for a jar of 50 cherries (or 40¢/cherry). You can find them at Williams-Sonoma and in the better Pennsylvania State Stores (for my local readers). A jar would make a great stocking stuffer for your favorite cocktail aficionado. Read more about their history in Epicurious’ In Praise of Luxardo Cherries.
Gluten-Free/Wheat-Free Note: While the ingredients used to make bourbon contain gluten many believe that the distillation process removes the gluten. As a result some with gluten sensitivities are okay with bourbon while others are not. To be bourbon it must be made from at least 51% corn but the rest of the mash could come from wheat, barley or rye (all gluten grains). Hudson Baby Bourbon is made from 100% corn (they also make a Hudson New York Corn Whiskey made from 100% corn) – while it may be worth seeking out if you are looking for a gluten-free option, keep in mind that both are made in small distillery which also produces alcohol made from gluten-producing grains.
| Boston Sour | Print |
- 2 egg whites from 2 large eggs
- 1 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice (~1 lemon)
- 1 ounce simple syrup (see notes)
- 4 dashes Angostura bitters (separated)
- 4 ounces whisky or bourbon
- 2 orange peels
- 2 maraschino cherries
- Separate egg whites and place in a shaker.
- Add lemon juice, simple syrup and 2 dashes of Angostura bitters.
- Shake for 20 to 30 seconds or until frothy. [This is known as a dry shake as there’s no ice.]
- Add whisky or bourbon and remaining 2 dashes of Angostura bitters to shaker. Top with a cup full of ice. Shake for about 10 seconds.
- Fill two double old-fashioned glasses with ice. Pour mixture into glasses.
- Top each glass with an orange peel (twisted to release some oils) and a cherry.
* SIMPLE SYRUP
1 cup (8 ounces) water
1 cup granulated sugar
Bring the water to a simmer in a saucepan set over medium-high heat. Add the sugar and stir until it completely dissolves. Remove the pan from the heat. Set aside to cool to room temperature. Pour the syrup into a clean 1-pint bottle, cap it and refrigerate it until needed. Makes 1-1/2 cups and keeps two months or longer in the refrigerator.
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