One of the great joys of making your own cocktails is making them for other people, and one thing I find endlessly interesting is what flavors, textures, and drink styles appeal to other people. It’s fun to work with spirits that you don’t usually drink yourself, or to try to come up with a drink for someone with very different tastes to your own, as it’s an excuse to extend your skills and try something new.
But it’s also useful to know what kinds of drinks are broadly popular, so you have some go-to recipes which you can be reasonably sure will please any audience. At a recent cocktail party I held, I was surprised but delighted to find that there was one drink I made which everyone enthusiastically enjoyed, as it wasn’t what I expected. The beloved drink was an Amaretto Sour, the classic version of which is considered a little bit retro by most cocktail enthusiasts. Indeed, amaretto generally can have a bit of an old lady reputation, but as with any ingredient, it can be used to great effect with care.
The particular version of this drink that was so popular is based on a recipe by craft cocktail giant Jeffrey Morgenthaler, who suggesting adding a kick of bourbon to the recipe. This is ingenious, as it raises the alcohol level of the drink enough to give it more heft and to allow the amaretto to stand out as an ingredient without feeling too flat and flabby as a sour. You don’t need a huge amount of bourbon, but just under an ounce of it gives a great base to undergird the drink. And the sweet and spicy flavors of bourbon are a natural fit with amaretto. Morgenthaler recommends a cask-strength bourbon, but I didn’t have any of that on hand so I reached for a bottle of regular strength Basil Hayden bourbon and that worked just fine.
The original recipe includes a small amount of sugar syrup as well, though I don’t find that necessary because of the intense sweetness of the amaretto. If you have a sweet tooth, though, you could certainly add some simple syrup to adjust the drink to your taste. I also opted to use aquafaba instead of the recommended egg white, both because I find it easier to work with and because it has a tiny bit of salt present which I find really brings the drink together. Finally, I added some generous dashes of Angostura bitters as I find the spicy, cinnamon flavor is a great match with the spice of the bourbon.
I think the reason this drink is such a hit is that it is interesting for the cocktail enthusiasts, with its use of a rather untrendy ingredient in an unexpected way, but it’s also tasty and easy to drink for those who don’t have so much experience with cocktails. Truly a drink for everyone.
How to make Morgenthaler’s Amaretto Sour
Adapted from Jeffrey Morgenthaler
Ingredients:
- 1.5 oz amaretto
- 0.75 oz bourbon
- 1 oz lemon juice
- 0.5 oz aquafaba
Method:
Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker with plenty of ice and shake very well to create the foam. Strain into a couple glass and add a few generous dashes of Angostura bitters.
