Yes, You Can Also Make Your Whiskey Sour With Sherry

One last drink for lower-proof January.

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. 

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. 

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