Pisco Sour Recipes for a True Taste of Peru

Developing in both Peru and Chile at the end of the 19^th century, the pisco sour was inspired by the popular grape brandy that was distilled using the Muscat grapes indigenous to the region. While this South American drink can be traditionally crafted, many people enjoy experimenting with the cocktail's original recipe by adding new juices and liqueurs. Here's just a small sampling of the many different ways you can mix up one of these tasty drinks.

Peruvian Pisco Sour Recipe

The Peruvian Pisco Sour is considered by many to be the classic recipe and is popularly attributed to Victor Vaughan Morris, an expatriate who owned a bar in Lima, Peru in the 1910s. It's important to note that this cocktail does require a 'dry shake,' meaning you combine the ingredients into a cocktail shaker and shake them vigorously without adding ice.

Ingredients

• 1 ounce simple syrup
• 1 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1 egg white
• 2 ounces pisco
• Ice
• 3 dashes Angostura bitters

Instructions

1. In a cocktail shaker, combine the simple syrup, lime juice, and egg white.
2. Vigorously dry shake the ingredients for a full 60 seconds to foam the egg whites.
3. Add Pisco to the shaker; add ice and shake until chilled.
4. Strain the mixture into a cocktail glass, and top with a few dashes of Angostura bitters.

Chilean Pisco Sour

Elliot Stubb's Chilean pisco sour is a simpler alternative to the traditional pisco sour recipe as it removes both the egg whites and bitters, leaving just the lemon juice, simple syrup, and pisco to be shaken together and served.

Ingredients

• 1 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 ounce simple syrup
• 3 ounces pisco
• Ice

Instructions

1. In a cocktail shaker, combine the lemon juice, simple syrup, and pisco.
2. Add ice and shake until chilled.
3. Strain into a cocktail glass and serve.

Unique Variations on the Pisco Sour

The pisco sour's grape flavor pairs so well with other ingredients that it's impossible to settle on just one recipe. Here are a few ways you can customize the original formula to curate an entirely new cocktail.

Lemon Pisco Sour

If you're craving something particularly tart, try out this Lemon Pisco Sour recipe, which adds the Italian spirit, Limoncello, to the original mix.

Ingredients

• 1 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 ounce simple syrup
• 1 egg white
• 1 ounce limoncello
• 2 ounces pisco
• Ice

Instructions

1. In a cocktail shaker, combine the lemon juice, simple syrup, and egg white.
2. Dry shake the ingredients.
3. Pour in the limoncello and pisco; add ice and shake until chilled.
4. Strain the mixture into a cocktail glass and serve.

Chilcano

Another traditional South American cocktail, the chilcano adds ginger ale to the Chilean pisco sour recipe for a fizzy afternoon drink.

Ingredients

• ½ ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
• ½ ounce simple syrup
• 2 ounces pisco
• Ice
• Ginger ale

Instructions

1. In a cocktail shaker, combine the lime juice, simple syrup, and pisco
2. Add ice and shake until chilled.
3. Strain the mixture into a highball glass filled with ice and top off with ginger ale.

Blood Orange Pisco Sour

This Blood Orange Pisco Sour complements the grape brandy with a rich citrus flavor through its use of blood orange juice and orange bitters.

Ingredients

• ½ ounce freshly squeezed blood orange juice
• ½ ounce simple syrup
• 1 egg white
• 2 ounces Pisco
• Ice
• 3 dashes orange bitters

Instructions

1. In a cocktail shaker, combine the blood orange juice, simple syrup, and egg white.
2. Dry shake the ingredients vigorously for 60 seconds to foam the egg whites.
3. Pour in the pisco; add ice and shake until chilled.
4. Strain the mixture into a cocktail glass and top with three dashes of orange bitters.

Autumn Pisco Sour

Cranberry, apple, and grape are fruit flavors which have been brought together in cocktail after cocktail, and the autumn pisco sour is no different from those many other mixtures. This recipe brings apple juice, cranberry simple syrup, an egg white, pisco, and Angostura bitters together for a lovely, fall-flavored drink.

Ingredients

• ½ ounce apple juice
• ½ ounce cranberry simple syrup
• 1 egg white
• 2 ounce pisco
• Ice
• 3 dashes Angostura bitters

Instructions

1. In a cocktail shaker, combine the apple juice, cranberry simple syrup, and egg white.
2. Dry shake the ingredients vigorously for 60 seconds.
3. Pour in the pisco; add ice and shake until chilled.
4. Strain the mixture into a cocktail glass and top with three dashes of Angostura bitters.

What Is Pisco?

Pisco is a South American alcohol that originated in the Peruvian and Chilean winemaking regions; native distillers created a clear brandy from the domestic grapes resulting in a spirit which bears a grape flavor and wine-like aroma. Quickly, the spirit was combined with citrus and tropical fruits and bitters, creating aromatic and brightly flavored cocktails. Given its winemaking origins, pisco-based drinks make for great alternatives to traditional wines and can be served with practically any meal.

Party With a Pisco Sour

Dress up any one of your dinner parties with a refreshing pisco sour, or one of its many fruity variations. With hints of warm grape and citrus tartness, you can sip on one of these all night long.