The story of the New York Sour

The new york sour is a cocktail that adds a twist to the classic whiskey sour by topping it with a layer of red wine. This creates a stunning visual effect and a complex flavor profile that balances the spiceness of the whiskey, the sourness of the lemon, and the dryness of the wine. It is a drink that has a long history and a lot of variations, but it is also easy to make at home with a few simple ingredients.

The origin of the new york sour is not very clear, but it is believed that it was created in the late 19th or early 20th century, either in New York or Chicago. Some sources claim that it was invented by a bartender named Johnny Solon at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York, while others say that it was popularized by a Chicago bartender named Jake Gross, who served it to traveling wine salesmen. Either way, the new york sour became a hit among cocktail lovers and was featured in many bartending books and magazines

The ideal red wine for a New York Sour cocktail is a fruity and dry red wine of good quality. A Bordeaux-style red wine is usually a good choice, or a fruity and dry Rioja, Shiraz, Merlot or Malbec.

Bourbon or rye whiskey?

Rye whiskey or bourbon is usually used as the base for a sour. Rye whiskey brings stronger spice notes than bourbon, but both are tasty. I generally prefer a bourbon for my whiskey sours.
In fact, I’ve never had a really bad bourbon whiskey in my sours. Asking for the right type is like asking me which is the right gin for a gin and tonic. It’s simply impossible to answer. Preferences are individual. My favorites here include Maker’s Mark, Knob Creek and Wild Turkey.

Floating red wine like a pro

Layering cocktails in their individual ingredients is not always easy. With the New York Sour, layering is intentional. You first have to drink your way through the layer of red wine before the wine and whiskey sour mix in your mouth.
A frequently used method is to run the red wine over the back of a bar spoon. However, it is even easier to use a speedpourer on the red wine bottle. A speedpourer is a stainless steel or plastic pourer that is inserted into the most commonly used spirit bottles in a bar. It offers very precise control when pouring.

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