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Home » Drinks & Cocktails » The Best New York Sour Cocktail

October 15, 2020

The Best New York Sour Cocktail

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Not only is the New York Sour cocktail stunning, but the combination of flavors and the silky texture makes this one hell of a winner! This New York Sour recipe consists of a classic whiskey sour base finished with a red wine float.

layered cocktail in a clear glass set on coasters with greenery in the background

I first came to know the New York Sour when I was a waitress—knowing very little about whiskey then, I recommended it purely for it’s visual appeal.  I now have many more reasons for why you should try this glorious cocktail. 

I’m a whiskey sour kind of person—but it has to be a GOOD whiskey sour. No sweet and sour mix, instead I want a cocktail made with the real stuff—lemon juice and egg white.

What is a New York Sour? 

On its most basic level, the New York Sour is basically a whiskey sour with a float of red wine to finish. Why red wine? Well, a splash of dry red wine balances the lightly sweet whiskey sour base and adds depth of flavor.

What goes into a New York Sour?

  • Whiskey
  • Fresh lemon juice
  • Simple syrup (or maple syrup, which I prefer)
  • Egg white (fresh or pasteurized from a jug if you prefer)
  • Dry red wine
grid of step-by-step images showing how to make a New York Sour Cocktail

The whiskey, lemon juice, simple syrup and egg white get shaken together and poured over ice. Then a splash of dry red wine is gently poured over top to create three stunning layers and one killer cocktail.

grid of step-by-step images showing how to make a New York Sour Cocktail
grid of step-by-step images showing how to make a New York Sour Cocktail

What kind of whiskey to use

Rule number one, use a whiskey you like! But if you need a but of guidance, I recommend using rye whiskey!

What kind of red wine to use

Like  I said with the whiskey—rule number one is to use a wine you like.

However, since the cocktail features a bit of simple syrup or maple syrup, I recommend using a dry red wine. Some sources recommend a fruity red wine, but between the lemon and the simple syrup, I find a dry red wine does a better job of balancing the cocktail’s flavors.

Shiraz, Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, or Zinfandel will work great here. 

red wine dripping down the back of a spoon over a yellow cocktail with a layer of foam on top

More cocktail recipes you may like…

  • Blood Orange Boston Sour 
  • Fig Infused Bourbon 
  • Classic Bourbon Smash
  • Apple Bourbon Smash 

Make sure to tag me @ZESTFULKITCHEN ON INSTAGRAM or tag #zestfulkitchen on social media if you make a recipe! 

And if you’re a cocktail lover like I am, be sure to follow along on Instagram where every Friday I share a new cocktail recipe!

Don’t forget, if you make this New York Sour cocktail, leave a comment and rating below!

To pin this recipe and save it for later, you can click the button on any of the photos, or the red button on the bar below the recipe. Cheers!

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The Best New York Sour Cocktail

★★★★★ 5 from 1 reviews
  • Author: Lauren Grant
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Total Time: 5 minutes
  • Yield: 1 cocktail 1x
  • Category: Drinks
  • Method: no-cook
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Gluten Free
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Description

The New York Sour achieves the perfect balance of flavors—sweet, tart, warm, and slightly dry. Stunning and classic! 


Scale

Ingredients

  • 2 ounces Rye or bourbon whiskey
  • 1 ounce fresh lemon juice
  • 1 ounce egg white (optional)
  • ¾ ounce pure maple syrup (or simple syrup)
  • ½ ounce dry red wine

Instructions

Add whiskey, lemon juice, egg white and syrup in a cocktail shaker and dry shake (without ice) for 20 seconds. Add a few cubes of fresh ice and shake 30 seconds until well chilled. Strain into a rocks glass filled with ice.

Slowly pour wine over the back of a bar spoon so that the wine floats on top of the drink.


Equipment

Boston cocktail shaker

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shot glass

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rocks glasses

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Notes

Egg white: for ease and food safety reasons, use pasteurized egg whites. You can find them sold next to the eggs in a carton, 

Keywords: new york sour, whiskey sour, whiskey cocktail, red wine cocktail

Did you make this recipe?

Leave a comment below and tag @zestfulkitchen on Instagram and hashtag it #zestfulkitchen!

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Filed Under: Drinks & Cocktails, Holiday, Recipes, Year-Round

About Lauren Grant

Lauren Grant is a professional culinary food scientist, food writer, recipe developer, and food photographer. Lauren is a previous magazine editor and test kitchen developer and has had work published in major national publications including Diabetic Living Magazine, Midwest Living Magazine, Cuisine at Home Magazine, EatingWell.com, AmericasTestKitchen.com, and more.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Tommy Brunett says

    October 19, 2020 at 9:29 am

    Absolutely loved this sour whiskey recipe, it’s great to play with the flavors of your cocktail and try something different. Thank you for sharing this, definitely one of the best sour whiskey recipes I have found on the internet.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Lauren Grant says

      October 20, 2020 at 5:12 pm

      Hi Tommy! I am so glad you enjoyed it! It’s one of my favorites as well! 🙂

      Reply

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