Mediterranean Sour
Dry shake ∙ 5 min ∙ 14.4% ABV ∙
The Mediterranean Sour is an egg-white sour built on Mastiha liqueur, lemon juice, and sugar syrup, finished with a dash of bitters and an orange twist. A plush, cloud-like foam cushions a bright, tart core, while a whisper of resinous herbal sweetness lingers through the silky, citrus-kissed finish.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Dry shake (without ice) all ingredients: Mastiha liqueur 60 mlLemon juice 20 mlSugar syrup 10 mlAngostura aromatic bitters 1 dashEgg white 15 ml
- Shake again with ice
- Fine strain into the ice-filled glass
- Express an orange twist over the cocktail and use as garnish
Tips
- Dry-shake first without ice for extra-thick foam, then shake again with ice to chill and dilute properly.
- Express the orange twist directly over the foam right before serving so the citrus oils sit on top rather than getting lost in the shake.
- Fine-strain carefully to keep the foam smooth; the egg white needs a vigorous shake to emulsify fully before straining.
FAQ
What is in a Mediterranean Sour?
Mastiha liqueur, fresh lemon juice, sugar syrup, egg white, and a dash of Angostura bitters, shaken and fine-strained into an ice-filled glass with an orange twist. Mastiha, a Greek liqueur distilled with resin from the mastic tree, gives it a distinctive piney, herbal character that sets it apart from a standard whiskey or gin sour.
What are the ingredients in a sour cocktail?
A classic sour is built from a base spirit, citrus juice, and a sweetener, often shaken with egg white for texture. This Mediterranean Sour follows that structure using Mastiha liqueur as the spirit, lemon juice, sugar syrup, egg white, and a dash of Angostura bitters, garnished with an orange twist.
How do you make homemade sour mix from scratch?
A basic homemade sour mix is simply fresh citrus juice combined with sugar syrup in roughly equal or citrus-forward proportions. In the Mediterranean Sour, that role is filled by fresh lemon juice and sugar syrup, shaken with the Mastiha liqueur and egg white rather than poured over a pre-made mix.
What is a famous cocktail in Greece?
Mastiha liqueur, distilled from the resin of the mastic tree grown on the Greek island of Chios, is the spirit most associated with Greek cocktail culture, and it forms the base of the Mediterranean Sour, a classic sour built around its piney, resinous character.
