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Yes, You Can Also Make Your Whiskey Sour With Sherry

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Yes, You Can Also Make Your Whiskey Sour With Sherry

One last drink for lower-proof January.

Peter Suderman
Jan 31
19
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Yes, You Can Also Make Your Whiskey Sour With Sherry

cocktailswithsuderman.substack.com

January isn’t quite over, so let’s close out the month with one more lower proof cocktail: a Whiskey Sour made with sherry. 

This drink works from the same underlying theory as the Sherry Margarita we made earlier in the month, in which sherry takes over for a higher proof spirit: Structurally, it’s just a basic whiskey sour — with two ounces of base ingredient, plus three-quarters of an ounce each of fresh lemon juice and rich simple syrup. 

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The key difference is that instead of two full ounces of whiskey in the base, this version uses just  a half ounce of whiskey and an ounce and a half of sherry. The total booze volume is the same, but most of it is lower proof stuff, resulting in a far less alcoholic drink. 

In this case, the sherry is oloroso. Just as fino and manzanilla sherry turn out to be surprisingly effective swaps for unaged tequila or mezcal in a Margarita, oloroso sherry — a dry sherry with a heavier body — does a pretty good whiskey impression. A bit of Angostura Aromatic bitters rounds out the drink, adding spice and complexity. 

For the whiskey, your house bourbon will almost certainly do. But if you’re looking for a specific recommendation, I am quite fond of Wild Turkey 101 and Evan Williams Bonded-in-Bond (White Label) in this format. 

For the sherry, I’ve been using Hidalgo Faraón, but modestly priced bottles from Lustau and Sandeman will also work. 

The result is a drink that is a little more acidic, and a little lighter on its feet compared to its predecessor — but one that retains the bold-sweet-sour character of a classic Whiskey Sour. 

Sherry Whiskey Sour 

  • 1 dash Angostura Aromatic Bitters 

  • ¾ ounce rich (2:1) simple syrup

  • ¾ ounce fresh squeezed lemon juice 

  • ½ ounce bourbon 

  • 1 ½ ounce oloroso sherry

INSTRUCTIONS 

  1. Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker. 

  2. Add ice, then shake until chilled.

  3. Strain into a rocks glass over a single large piece of ice. 

When a Very Large Dog Wants Attention

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Yes, You Can Also Make Your Whiskey Sour With Sherry

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5 Comments
Dennis Geary
Feb 1Liked by Peter Suderman

The Very Large Dog is saying "Sit down, I'm not through with you yet"

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Tony DePiero
Feb 1Liked by Peter Suderman

How would this work with Amontillado sherry? I don't currently have any Oloroso sherry at this time.

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