Italian Sour
Dry shake ∙ 5 min ∙ 15% ABV ∙
The Italian Sour is an egg-white sour built on three Italian liqueurs — Galliano, Strega, and a red bitter such as Campari — shaken with fresh lemon juice. Silky and citrus-forward, with anise and herbal sweetness from the liqueurs riding over a bitter, orange-tinged edge before a creamy egg-white finish.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Shake all ingredients with ice: Galliano L’Autentico liqueur 15 mlLiquore Strega 15 mlRed bitter 15 mlLemon juice 30 mlAngostura aromatic bitters 1 dashEgg white 15 ml
- Strain back into the shaker
- Dry shake (without ice) to emulsify
- Fine strain into the chilled glassж
- Garnish with a lemon slice and a maraschino cherry
Tips
- Pre-chill the glass before straining in so the drink and its foam cap don't lose temperature the moment they're poured.
- Do the second shake without ice, right after straining out the cubes, so the egg white emulsifies into a stable foam rather than diluting further.
- Fine-strain the final pour to catch any ice shards and keep the foam cap smooth and unbroken.
FAQ
What is in an Italian Sour?
Galliano L'Autentico, Liquore Strega, a red bitter such as Campari, fresh lemon juice, a dash of Angostura bitters, and egg white, double-shaken and served in an old-fashioned glass with a lemon slice and a maraschino cherry.
Is an Amaretto Sour Italian?
Yes, in spirit — it is built on amaretto, an Italian almond liqueur, shaken with lemon juice into a classic sour. The Italian Sour instead builds its sour on three Italian liqueurs at once (Galliano, Strega, and a red bitter), giving it a more herbal, bittersweet profile than amaretto's almond sweetness.
What alcoholic drinks are popular in Italy?
Aperitivo classics dominate: the Negroni, the Americano, and a Spritz made with an aperitivo wine and prosecco are everyday bar orders, alongside amari and herbal liqueurs like Strega and Galliano sipped on their own. The Italian Sour draws on that same liqueur cabinet, combining Galliano, Strega, and a red bitter into one shaken sour.
What is a two-ingredient Italian cocktail?
The simplest known example is a red bitter topped with soda water in the Americano style, or Campari and orange juice for a Garibaldi. The Italian Sour is a more elaborate build, layering three Italian liqueurs with lemon juice and egg white rather than keeping to just two ingredients.
