Decoding the Equal Parts Sour

Photo by Arlene Ibarra

The equal parts sour is a cocktail template that has long fascinated me, as it is the perfect exercise in balance, not just in sweet & sour, but also in ABV as well. The most classic of all equal parts sours, at least in the modern era, has got to be the Last Word, the quintessential gin cocktail that perfectly marries London Dry Gin, Green Chartreuse, lime juice and maraschino liqueur. At first the drink itself & why it works can seem a bit of a mystery, that is until you look underneath the hood and see what makes the drink tick. That is when the drink reveals its formula, a simple one as well, and that is equal parts of spirit, "low proof" liqueur (approximately 10%-27%,) "higher proof" liqueur (approximately 27% & up,) and hard citrus. By hard citrus, we mean either lemon or lime, orange & grapefruit are both too soft to carry the drink (I suppose you could always add some acid, but that is another post altogether.) Now that you know the formula, it is much easier to master the template and create well-balanced and delicious equal parts sours. Well-known riffs on this formula such as the Paper Plane, Corpse Reviver #2, and the Naked & Famous all achieve balance by utilizing these guidelines and you can as well with your own recipes. With that said, I look forward to hearing what you come up with by applying this information, so feel free to share here what mix of liqueurs & spirit that you find work together well.

YELLOW JACKET
.75 VSOP Cognac
.75oz Lime
.75oz Grand Marnier
.75oz Vanilla liqueur
2 dashes Molé Bitters

METHOD: Shake
GLASSWARE: Coupe
GARNISH: Orange Twist