Pastis Whisky Sour
Dry shake ∙ 5 min ∙ 18% ABV ∙
The Pastis Whisky Sour is a double-shaken whisky sour that adds a dash of pastis and Angostura bitters to the classic Scotch, lemon, and egg white build. A plush, cloud-like foam gives way to a tart, clean-spirit backbone, with a faint anise whisper lingering through the crisp, bitter-tinged finish.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Shake all ingredients with ice: Blended Scotch whisky 50 mlPastis 10 mlLemon juice 25 mlSugar syrup 12 1/2 mlEgg white 15 mlAngostura aromatic bitters 3 dashes
- Strain back into the shaker
- Dry shake (without ice)
- Fine strain into the ice-filled glass
- Garnish with a lemon wheel and a maraschino cherry on a skewer
Tips
- Shake once with ice, strain, then dry shake without ice — the second shake is what builds the thick, lasting foam.
- Pour the pastis sparingly; it is meant to accent the whisky and lemon, not announce itself as anise.
- Fine-strain into the ice-filled glass so the egg-white foam sits clean on top without pulp or ice shards.
- Whisk the pasteurised egg white briefly before adding it so it disperses evenly during the first shake.
History
The Pastis Whisky Sour is a modern riff on the classic Whiskey Sour that simply adds a small measure of pastis, the anise-and-licorice French spirit, to the traditional Scotch-based sour build. It appears in contemporary bartending references as a 2000s-era variation rather than a historic recipe, with no independently documented creator, bar, or year beyond a single online listing.
The Whiskey Sour it riffs on is one of the oldest named members of the sour family Jerry Thomas codified in his 1862 How to Mix Drinks — though the book itself carried no whiskey version; the drink is first documented in the Waukesha Plain Dealer newspaper in 1870 and a Peruvian account later credited a bar steward named Elliott Stubb with making one in Iquique around 1872. The Pastis Whisky Sour keeps that whiskey-lemon-sugar structure but folds in pastis for an anise-forward edge the original recipe does not have.
FAQ
How do you make a Whisky Sour?
Shake whisky, lemon juice, sugar syrup, and egg white with ice, then dry shake without ice before straining into a glass over fresh ice. This build also adds a splash of pastis and a few dashes of Angostura bitters to the classic whisky, lemon, and sugar mix, then finishes with a lemon wheel and a maraschino cherry.
What alcohol is best for a Whiskey Sour?
Blended Scotch whisky is what this recipe uses, giving a smoother, gentler backbone than a bourbon-based sour would. Bourbon is the more common choice and brings more caramel sweetness, but Scotch lets the lemon and pastis come through more clearly.
What is a 3:2:1 Whiskey Sour?
A 3:2:1 Whiskey Sour is a common ratio shorthand for three parts whiskey, two parts lemon juice, and one part sugar syrup. This build follows the same logic but is not a strict 3:2:1 split, since it also folds in pastis, egg white, and Angostura bitters alongside the whisky, lemon, and syrup.
What are some common mistakes when making a Whisky Sour?
The most common mistakes are skipping the dry shake, which leaves the foam thin, and using bottled lemon juice, which flattens the sourness. Over-pouring a strong-flavored addition like pastis is another mistake here, since a heavy hand buries the citrus and whisky instead of just accenting them.
What can you mix pastis with?
Pastis is most often mixed with plain water, which turns it cloudy and mellows its anise strength, but it also works as a small accent in whisky-based sours. Here it is added in a small amount alongside the Scotch whisky rather than served on its own.
