London Sour
Shake ∙ 3 min ∙ 10.7% ABV ∙
The London Sour is a long Scotch sour: blended Scotch shaken with fresh orange and lemon juice, orgeat and sugar syrup, served over ice.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Shake all ingredients with ice: Blended Scotch whisky 60 mlOrange juice 75 mlLemon juice 15 mlOrgeat (almond) syrup 5 mlSugar syrup 5 ml
- Strain into the ice-filled glass
- Garnish with an orange wheel and a mint sprig
Tips
- Squeeze the orange juice fresh; at 75 ml it is the largest pour in the glass and sets the drink's flavor.
- At 5 ml each, the orgeat and sugar syrup are easy to overdo; any extra and the citrus tastes flat.
History
The London Sour was created by Victor "Trader Vic" Bergeron, the founder of the Trader Vic's tiki restaurant chain, to mark the 1963 opening of the London branch of Trader Vic's, housed in the London Hilton on Park Lane. The choice of Scotch whisky as the base spirit nodded to the drink's British namesake city.
The recipe, built on Scotch, orange and lemon juice, and orgeat, was later published in Bergeron's own 1972 Trader Vic's Bartender's Guide, which remains the documented source for the original formula.
FAQ
What's in a London Sour?
60 ml blended Scotch whisky, 75 ml fresh orange juice, 15 ml lemon juice, and 5 ml each of orgeat (almond syrup) and sugar syrup. It is a long, citrus-forward take on the whisky sour.
