The Amaretto Sour is a magical drink. It’s naturally sweet and nutty, on the lower end of the alcohol spectrum, and hella frothy and creamy. It has everything to make it the perfect ease back into drinking cocktail for “Wet February”.
The Amaretto Sour has gone through a bit of a facelift over the past 20 years or so. Jeffery Morganthaler of Portland’s famed Pacific Standard re-invented the drink in the early 2010s. He elevated the sipper from a simple mix of Amaretto and sour mix into a proper sour with real depth and a touch of bourbon kick, egg white creaminess, and lemony goodness.
Below, I’ll be making a now-classic Morganthaler Amaretto Sour, which has become the standard at most bars worldwide. It’s delightfully delicious and easy enough to shake that you’ll be shaking up more than one once you get the hang of it.
Let’s dive in!
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Amaretto Sour
Ingredients
- 1.5 oz. Amaretto
- 0.5 oz. bourbon
- 1 oz. fresh lemon juice
- 0.25 oz. simple syrup
- 1 medium egg white
- Lemon peel
- Amarena cherries
- Ice
Morganthaler’s Amaretto Sour calls for a high-proof or cask-strength bourbon. And that’s great. I lean more toward a standard-proof bourbon with great depth and profile. For me, that’s something like Rabbit Hole’s Cavehill Four-Grain Bourbon. It’s a wonderful and balanced bourbon where a little goes a long way.
The rest is all easily found anywhere good liquor and groceries are sold.
What You’ll Need:
- Rocks glass
- Cocktail shaker
- Cocktail strainer
- Paring knife
- Hand juicer
- Fine strainer
- Barspoon
- Jigger
- Cocktail stick
Method:
- Fill the rocks glass with ice and set aside.
- Add the Amaretto, bourbon, lemon juice, simple, and egg white to a cocktail shaker. Affix the lid and shake without ice for 15 seconds.
- Pop the lid and add a handful of fresh ice to the shaker, reaffix the lid, and then shake for another 15 seconds or until the shaker is frosted over and ice-cold to touch.
- Pop the lid and strain the cocktail into the waiting rocks glass. You’ll need to really shake out the foam as you strain.
- Peel a thin stripe of lemon peel and twist it over the cocktail, making a twirled pigtail. Spear two cherries and garnish the glass with the cherries and lemon peel. Serve.
Bottom Line:
Yeah, this is a winner. It’s so creamy and lush with a deep nuttiness — thanks to the hazelnut liqueur. The lemon really brightens it up and gives the boozy foundation and a nice balance of sweet and tart. The sweetness does come through with a touch of sugar syrup and a very sweet Amaretto base.
Look, it’s a great cocktail. It’s easy enough to make. So, hit up the liquor store and shake one up. You’ll be very pleasantly surprised by this one.
