Trader Vic’s Sour
A sour and balanced whiskey cocktail ∙ Shake ∙ 3 min ∙ 18.6% ABV ∙
Trader Vic’s Sour is a tiki sour of blended Scotch, bourbon and Cognac, shaken with lemon juice, orgeat and a little sugar syrup and served over ice.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Shake all ingredients with ice: Blended Scotch whisky 30 mlBourbon 15 mlCognac 15 mlLemon juice 20 mlOrgeat (almond) syrup 10 mlSugar syrup 5 ml
- Strain into the ice-filled glass
- Garnish with a dehydrated orange slice
Tips
- Keep the Scotch at 30 ml, twice the 15 ml of bourbon or Cognac; it should lead, with the other two filling in behind.
History
The Trader Vic's Sour comes from the tiki repertoire of Victor "Trader Vic" Bergeron, who built a number of sour variations around different base spirits and citrus. The version documented here is a template from bartender Jelani Johnson, published in Chloe Frechette's book Easy Tiki: A Modern Revival with 60 Recipes (Ten Speed Press, 2020), which notes the formula works equally well with bourbon, Scotch, or brandy as the base. This recipe combines all three.
FAQ
What is in a Trader Vic's Sour?
Three spirits, 30 ml blended Scotch whisky with 15 ml each of bourbon and Cognac, plus fresh lemon juice, orgeat almond syrup and a little sugar syrup. The template it comes from works with any one of the three as the base; this version uses all three.
Is a Trader Vic's Sour shaken or stirred?
Shaken. The citrus and orgeat need a hard shake with ice to chill and mix, then the drink is strained over fresh ice.
What glass is a Trader Vic's Sour served in?
An old-fashioned (rocks) glass filled with ice, garnished with a dehydrated orange slice. It is a short sour served on the rocks, not up.
What is orgeat and why is it in this sour?
Orgeat is a sweet almond syrup and a tiki-bar staple. It adds nutty richness and body and softens the lemon, which is what sets Trader Vic’s Sour apart from a plain whiskey sour.
