LCBO Food & Drink Autumn 2021

WHISKY BUSINESS

The Sour This timeless cocktail offers a refreshing balance of sweet and tart.

While not essential, egg white smooths out the Sour’s tart flavour profile and adds a lovely frothy texture to your drink.

History The origins of sour cocktails like the Whisky Sour can be traced back to the 18th century. Spirits were the preferred drink of sailors because, unlike beer, they would not spoil during long sea voyages. To combat scurvy, sailors often added lemons or limes to their drinks, along with sugar to improve the taste of the concoction. Sound like a familiar mix?

TWIST

Top your Sour with about 1 oz red wine to make a variation known as a New York Sour. Pour the red wine into your glass slowly, over the back of a spoon, to help it float on top of the drink, creating an eye-catching colour gradient.

Recommendations For bourbon, try Elijah Craig Small Batch Bourbon Whiskey ( LCBO 547729, $49.95), which balances the Sour’s tangy characteristics with its sweet peach and toffee flavours. For rye, Lot No. 40 Single Copper Pot Still Canadian Whisky ( LCBO 382861, $39.95) is a local option with a spicy finish that enhances the Sour’s citrus notes.

No shaker? No problem. Use a Mason jar or any other sturdy vessel with a lid that seals.

Basic recipe

2 oz bourbon or rye whisky

Orange wheel or lemon peel for garnish

⁄ oz fresh lemon juice

⁄ to ⁄ oz simple syrup, to taste

⁄ oz egg white (optional)

Add bourbon, lemon juice, simple syrup and egg white, if using, to a cocktail shaker. Cover and dry-shake for 30 seconds without ice (skip this step if you’re not using egg white). Add ice, cover and shake vigorously until outside of shaker feels cold. Strain into a chilled glass filled with ice. Garnish with orange wheel. Makes 1 drink.

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AUTUMN 2021 FOOD & DRINK