On the cocktail menu at this restaurant in New York’s East Village, each drink is assigned an illustrated wooden chair: the Manhattan is a stern, solid slat-back chair, the Aperol Spritz a much more appealing, rounded rendition, while the Whiskey Sour is paired with a classic spindle-back dining chair — practical, timeless, and trustworthy, the type that completes the dining set in countless American homes. It’s the perfect pairing for a drink that, according to some, is that most unwavering of sours.
Specialist Feature
Talia Baiocchi Founder and editor-in-chief of Punch magazine.
Patty Denison I’m the head bartender at Grand Army in Brooklyn.
Chloe Frechette Deputy Editor of Punch magazine.
Mary Ann Porto I’m an editor at Punch.
Paige Walwyn He is a bartender at Dead Rabbit in New York and a 2022 Best New Bartenders alumnus.
“This is one of the safest sours you can order,” Punch editor-in-chief Talia Baiocchi said in a recent Blind Tasting Please note that the taste of the Whiskey Sour is relatively narrow in the range of base spirits, unlike the Daiquiri. The difference is largely determined by the strength of the whiskey and whether it is bourbon or rye. In fact, in the seven years since we launched the Whiskey Sour, The final blind tasting of whiskey soursWhereas in 2017, nearly half the recipes were rye-based and about the same number were served on the rocks and without an egg white, this time around only two of the nine recipes used rye (one was split with bourbon) and all but one were served on the rocks with an egg white (only one used aquafaba). Overall, the drinks met what the judges were looking for: a bubbly drink with a good balance of sweet and sour, and a punch of whiskey.
Adding to the drink’s newfound homogeneity was the near-universal choice of garnish: a decorative splash of Angostura bitters (or, in one case, Peychaud’s bitters) on top of the foam. None of the assembled judges (bartenders Patty Denison and Paige Walwyn, Panchi’s Baiocchi, Mary Ann Porto, and myself) could pinpoint exactly when that change began, but none of them had any reservations about the decision, noting that it was a logical choice to tone down the unpleasant notes of egg white and aquafaba.
Contrary to expectations, the two most popular recipes, which received equal support from the judges, were the only ones that used rye. Dan Sabo’s Whiskey Sour‘s recipe also won top honors at the 2017 tasting. His recipe consists of two ounces of Rittenhouse rye, one ounce of lemon juice, half an ounce each of orange juice and thick syrup, one egg white, and is served on the rocks with a half orange slice and a brandied cherry as a garnish. While the judges didn’t think the presentation was typical, no one was offended that the drink was served over ice. Perhaps due to the unconventional addition of orange juice, one taster called the sample “very fresh” and another called it particularly “juicy.”
Another favorite is Alicia Perry’s Whiskey SourPerry’s recipe calls for a base of one ounce of Elijah Craig Small Batch Bourbon and one ounce of Rittenhouse Rye, mixed with three-quarters ounces each of lemon juice and cane syrup, one egg white, poured into a coupe, and topped with a foamy sprinkle of Angostura bitters. While the look was similar to most of the drinks we tried, the aroma was the most appealing. In addition to the bitters, Perry calls for a lemon twist to be sprinkled on the top of the drink. Described by the judges as “elegant” and “thoughtful,” Perry’s highly thoughtful specifications led one taster to proclaim, “I want two of these.”
