Eastern Sour
Bourbon, orange, lemon, orgeat and sugar, shaken over crushed ice. Trader Vic's 1960s bourbon sour with almond — the Mai Tai's idea on whiskey, and a tiki drink that does not need rum.
Built to the standard modern spec; not yet tested in our kitchen. How we test.
The recipe.
Scaling adjusts quantities only. Prepare shaken drinks in individual portions.
Let’s make a good drink.
Add the bourbon, orange juice, lemon juice, orgeat and syrup (if using) to a shaker.
Fill with ice and shake hard for 12 seconds.
Strain over crushed ice in a double rocks glass.
Garnish with an orange wedge and a cherry.
A thoughtful finish
- A real orgeat (Small Hand Foods, Liber & Co, or homemade); the syrup-bottle kind is thin.
- A bonded bourbon; the juices need the proof.
- Skip the simple syrup if the orange is sweet.
Common mistakes
- Carton orange juice.
- Skipping the orgeat, which makes it a plain sour.
- Cubed ice; it is a crushed-ice drink.
A few good questions.
What does an Eastern Sour taste like?
Bourbon with orange, lemon and almond over crushed ice — a whiskey sour with a tiki accent.
Who created it?
Trader Vic, as part of his 'Sours' family of the 1960s.
What is orgeat?
An almond syrup with orange-flower water, the Mai Tai's sweetener.
Can I use rye?
Yes; drier and spicier against the orgeat.
Variations
- Mai Tai — Rum, curaçao, orgeat and lime.
- Whiskey Sour — Bourbon, lemon and sugar.
- Army and Navy — Gin, lemon and orgeat.
- Japanese Cocktail — Cognac, orgeat and bitters.
Where it comes from
c. 1960s · San Francisco · Victor Bergeron · Trader Vic's
Trader Vic’s Eastern Sour is in his 1972 revised Bartender’s Guide, part of a family of ‘Sours’ he built on his Mai Tai’s orgeat-and-curaçao formula with different spirits — the Eastern Sour with bourbon, the London Sour with Scotch, the Munich Sour with brandy — served over crushed ice in a double old-fashioned glass with a fruit garnish. Bourbon with orange and lemon juice, orgeat and a little sugar is a whiskey sour with almond and a tropical cast, and it has been rediscovered by the tiki revival as one of Vic’s best non-rum drinks. The orgeat is essential; it is the almond that makes it ‘Eastern.’ A high-proof bourbon stands up to the juice.
Sources
- Victor Bergeron, Trader Vic's Bartender's Guide, revised, 1972 (book)
- Jeff Berry, Beachbum Berry Remixed, 2010 (book)
- Difford's Guide, Eastern Sour, 2012 (reference)
Strength. About 1.5 US standard drinks at an estimated 16.9% ABV, estimated from the ingredients and technique, not measured. What that means.
A little character in every sip.
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