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Y’all are getting a twofer today – the base of this cocktail is a Whiskey Sour recipe, but we’re going to top it with a float of red wine to make it a New York Sour, plus I’ll teach you how to layer cocktails, and even make them a little spooky with some red streaks of cherry juice floating down the sides!
First things first, you might be wondering:
Is there egg white in a whiskey sour?
The answer is … sometimes. The egg white gives a marvelous texture to the foam that naturally forms when shaking any citrus cocktail. However, I had … ahem … an incident involving a cocktail with egg whites, so egg white cocktails stand firmly in my “Never Again” group.
If you want a substitute for egg whites in a cocktail to get that same fabulously extra foamy quality, aquafaba is an EXCELLENT choice. It’s the liquid you strain off your chickpeas from the can. I don’t know who comes up with these things, but that’s true brilliance right there.
I’m fine leaving it all out though, and sticking with the basic ingredients.
How to layer cocktails
I’d always heard “layer with a spoon”, but I had no clue what that meant. However a lot of observing and a little googling led me to realize that most bartenders do this by pouring the liquid over the back of an upside down spoon held over the drink.
This never works for me.
Instead, I’ve found the easiest, most reliable way to layer a cocktail is to place a spoon right side up directly on top of the bottom liquid, pressing as much of the edge of the spoon as you can against the edge of the glass ( see the picture above with the spoon inside the glass. ) Then, slowly pour the top liquid into the bowl of the spoon until it starts to overflow the edge, run down the inside of the glass, and layer!
To add spooky streaks of “blood” running down your cocktail, layer it first using the method above, and then use a dropper ( or carefully pour ) a heavier liquid like sweetened cherry juice on top and watch it run down! You can also poke down your top layer with a fork or toothpick to create some tendrils running down your drink.
Whiskey Sour Ingredients
- whiskey
- fresh squeezed lemon juice
- simple syrup
How to Make a Whiskey Sour
Take all of the ingredients above, place them in a cocktail shaker, and give them a solid shake. Serve over ice!
This New York sour recipe is the perfect twist on a classic any time of year – but I love making it juuuuuust a little fun with some red running down the side for a Halloween Cocktail that still has a little class.
New York Sour
Ingredients
- 2 ounces whiskey I use Woodford Reserve
- 1 ounce lemon juice fresh
- 1/2 ounce simple syrup
- 1 1/2 ounce red wine French Table Wine like La Vieille Ferme is perfect
- 1 brandied cherry optional, garnish
Instructions
- Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add all ingredients except for the red wine. Firmly place the top on the shaker and shake vigorously.
- Strain over an ice-filled cocktail glass.
- Place a spoon right side up on top of the liquid in the glass, pressing the edge of the spoon against the inside of the glass. Slowly pour the wine into the spoon, allowing it to overflow into the glass, tilting the spoon if necessary to make the wine flow to the side that is pressed against the glass.
- Top with a cherry and serve
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