Tequila Sour
Dry shake ∙ 5 min ∙ 16.8% ABV ∙
The Tequila Sour is a shaken sour built on tequila reposado, lime juice, agave syrup, and egg white, served up in a coupe. A billowy, cloud-like foam caps a tart, silky-bodied drink, with reposado's warm oak notes lingering through a clean, bright finish.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Shake all ingredients with ice: Tequila reposado 60 mlLime juice 30 mlAgave syrup 15 mlEgg white 15 mlAngostura aromatic bitters 2 dashes
- Strain back into the shaker
- Dry shake (without ice) to emulsify
- Fine strain into the chilled glass
- Express a lime twist over the cocktail
- Garnish with a lime twist
Tips
- Dry shake without ice after the first shake so the egg white fully emulsifies into a stable foam rather than separating.
- Fine-strain into the chilled coupe to keep pulp and ice shards out of the foam for a clean, glossy top.
History
The Tequila Sour follows the standard sour formula of spirit, citrus, and sweetener shaken and strained, applied to tequila once the spirit became available to American bartenders. The earliest known recipe published under the name appears in New York bartender Charlie Connolly's 1939 guide, The World Famous Cotton Club: 1939 Book of Mixed Drinks, where it calls for tequila, orange liqueur, and lime juice served in a salt-rimmed glass with a lime wedge garnish. That salt rim and citrus garnish set Connolly's version apart from a plain sour and closely foreshadow the Margarita, whose own first documented recipes and name did not surface until years later. Because the ingredients and proportions of this 1939 Tequila Sour so closely match the drink that would later be called a Margarita, cocktail historians treat it as one of the direct forerunners of that more famous cocktail, though the Tequila Sour itself continued to be served and printed as its own drink in bar guides independent of the Margarita's rise.
FAQ
What is a Tequila Sour?
A Tequila Sour is a double-shaken tequila reposado cocktail, fine-strained into a coupe for a silky, foam-topped texture from the egg white. It's finished with an expressed lime twist and comes in at 16.8% ABV.
How do I make a Tequila Sour?
Shake tequila reposado, lime juice, agave syrup, egg white, and a couple of dashes of bitters with ice, then strain the mix back into the shaker and dry shake without ice to fully emulsify the egg white. Fine-strain into a chilled coupe, then express a lime twist over the top before dropping it in as garnish.
What's the difference between a Tequila Sour and a Margarita?
A Margarita is tequila, orange liqueur, and lime, typically shaken and strained into a glass with no egg white; a Tequila Sour swaps the orange liqueur for agave syrup and adds egg white for a silkier, foam-topped texture. The Margarita reads brighter and more citrus-forward, while the Tequila Sour is rounder and softer on the palate.
What are the three key components of a sour cocktail?
A classic sour is built on a base spirit, citrus juice, and a sweetener, shaken together to balance strong, sour, and sweet. Many versions, including this Tequila Sour, add a fourth element, egg white, for texture and a foam cap, plus a bitters dash to finish.
What are some tips for making a Tequila Sour?
Dry shake without ice after the first shake so the egg white fully emulsifies into a stable foam rather than separating in the glass. Fine-strain to keep the texture smooth, and express the lime twist over the drink just before serving so its oils sit on the foam.
