Friday, July 19, 2019

east somerville sour

2 oz Bourbon (Old Granddad Bonded)
1/2 oz Apricot Liqueur (Combier)
1/4 oz Orgeat
1/4 oz Simple Syrup
1 oz Lemon Juice
1/2 oz Orange Juice

Shake with ice and pour into a double old fashioned glass (whip shake, pour into a double old fashioned glass, and fill with crushed ice). Garnish with a cherry-orange slice flag.
The Eastern Sour riff that I made a lot last summer at River Bar was the East Somerville Sour that reduced the orange juice volume and replaced it with apricot liqueur. The apricot also worked to bolster the nutty aspect in the Giffard Orgeat we were using. I have traced that apricot-orgeat duo to at least the 1930s with the Yellow Mist from the Café Royal Cocktail Book, and I was inspired that summer to utilize it in the Hiva Oa. Once prepared with my orgeat (made from almonds and not almond extract like Giffard), the East Somerville Sour donated an orange and whiskey aroma with hints of apricot and orgeat's nuttiness on the nose. Next, lemon, orange, and a hint of creaminess from the orgeat on the sip led into Bourbon, apricot, and almond flavors on the swallow. Overall, it was not too dissimilar to the classic Eastern Sour but with less of an effect from the orange juice which took over the original's taste profile.

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