Eastern Sour

The Eastern Sour is a relatively strange tiki cocktail in that it doesn’t use any rum and it really doesn’t use any tropical fruit juices. It’s a very slight twist on a classic whisky sour, originally created by Trader Vic to celebrate the launch of a Toronto location – hence the “Eastern” in the name of the drink. Orgeat and orange juice are the two additions that set this apart from a tradition whiskey sour, making it just a touch sweeter and adding a hint of nuttiness to the bourbon. It’s a good cocktail whether you’re looking for a tiki drink or not, and it’s one that we often encourage people who are just dipping their toes into tiki drinks from the world of craft cocktails to try.

As we are fans of whiskey sours in general, this drink is one that we are always happy to have in our hands. The bourbon really comes through and you get a distinct oaky-vanilla flavor that you won’t typically find in a tiki drink, along with the sweet flavor of citrus. Be sure to use freshly squeezed juices when you mix yours up, as it makes a world of difference in the flavor of the finished cocktail.

Eastern Whiskey Sour
2 oz. bourbon
1/4 oz. orgeat
1/4 oz. simple syrup
2 oz. freshly squeezed orange juice (approx 1/2 Orange)
1 oz. freshly squeezed lemon juice (1/2 Lemon)
1 1/2 cup crushed ice
mint, orange slice and cherry, for garnish

Combine bourbon, orgeat, and simple syrup to a cocktail shaker, along with the freshly squeezed orange and lemon juices. Add in the crushed ice and shake. Without straining, pour the contents of the shaker into an old fashioned glass and garnish with a sprig of mint, an orange slice and a cherry.