Grape & Grain | For the best whisky cocktails in Hong Kong, seek out the sour
Taking inspiration from a 155-year-old recipe, local bartenders concoct their favourite versions of the classic cocktail, from the traditional to the experimental
The first recorded recipe for a whisky sour can be found in Jerry Thomas’ The Bar-Tender’s Guide, published in 1862, although the basic formula is thought to have been around since the 18th century.
The “sour” family of drinks are made from a wide range of spirits and include a number of classic cocktails.
Gary Regan’s The Joy of Mixology defines a sour as containing “a base liquor, lime or lemon juice and a non-alcoholic sweetening agent”, adding that the sweetener can be dispensed with if the base is a liqueur.
Thomas’s original formula called for bourbon or rye whiskey, dissolved sugar and the juice of half a lemon.
Some time later, creative bartenders began adding egg white to sours, changing their texture and giving them a frothy head. That ingredient is now included in the International Bartenders Association’s official recipe, though it’s described as “optional”.
