Pisco Sour

The Pisco Sour is a delightfully tangy blend of pisco, lime juice, sugar, bitters, and egg white, and is a beloved cocktail in South America. Interestingly, it’s the national cocktail of two countries: both Peru and Chile. Naturally, the cocktail’s origins are hotly debated. 

Most drinks historians agree that the cocktail recipe we’re most familiar with today likely came from American bartender Victor Vaughen Morris at his namesake Morris’ Bar in Lima, Peru around the 1920s. The pisco, lime, and sugar combination had long been enjoyed in the region, but once the drink appeared on the menu at Morris’ with the addition of egg white and bitters, it was forever ensconced in cocktail history. 

What makes the Pisco Sour work

Pisco, an unaged grape brandy with a fragrant, fruit-forward quality, is believed to have originated in Peru. The flavor profile of pisco expressions may vary depending on the grapes used and can range from fruit-forward and grassy to floral and perfumey. 

The delicate spirit’s bright, herbaceous qualities make for an ideal base in a traditional sour cocktail. Balanced by tart lime juice that is freshly squeezed and a simple syrup, the pisco’s fresh grape flavors shine. The addition of egg white may be labor intensive. The drink will need to be shaken twice — first, without ice, then again with ice until well chilled — to create the cocktail’s creamy texture and signature top layer of emulsified egg foam. Three drops of Angostura bitters placed atop the drink provide additional aromatics, allowing the ingredient to be perceived more heavily on the nose without creating overly bitter flavors within the drink itself.