All About Sour Cocktails: 9 Classic Sour Cocktails

Sours are a family of cocktails that contain liquor, an acidic element (typically a citrus juice like lemon or lime juice), and a sweetener. Sour cocktail recipes feature any number of ways to achieve this balance—whether by echoing the notes of citrus with orange liqueurs like triple sec and Curaçao, or by pairing off the character of the base spirit with tart red fruit notes found in grenadine or maraschino liqueur. Freshly squeezed citrus is always best, but sour mix can also be found in grocery stores for easier batching for large groups.

These are a few well-known favorites of the sours cocktail category.

1. 1. Whiskey Sour: The Whiskey Sour is made with two parts rye whiskey or bourbon, to one part each of lemon juice and simple syrup. The acidic citrus in this classic cocktail brings levity to the spice and smoke of barrel-aged whiskey. It’s shaken and served over ice in a rocks glass.
2. 2. New York Sour: Meet the Whiskey Sour, with a twist: whiskey, lemon, and simple syrup over ice, but served with a half-ounce float of red wine over the top. Learn how to make a New York Sour with our recipe here.
3. 3. Gin Sour: The Gin Sour is a classic mixed drink consisting of gin, fresh lemon juice, and simple syrup. Find our recipe for the Gin Sour here.
4. 4. Pisco Sour: The Pisco Sour is a classic cocktail from South America that combines pisco (a brandy from Peru and Chile) with fresh lime juice, simple syrup, and an egg white for volume, frothed together in a cocktail shaker. It’s strained and served in a coupe glass, and garnished with a dash of Angostura bitters.
5. 5. Amaretto Sour: The classic Amaretto Sour recipe features fresh lemon juice, simple syrup, and amaretto, an almond-flavored, Italian liqueur. Learn how to make an Amaretto Sour in our recipe here.
6. 6. Margarita: The Margarita is an iconic Mexican cocktail that features tequila, an orange liqueur (most commonly, triple sec), and lime juice, served either on the rocks or blended.
7. 7. Daiquiri: The traditional Daiquiri is a simple combination of white rum, lime juice, and sugar syrup. Daiquiris are served up, in a chilled coupe glass with a thin lime wheel for garnish. Learn how to make a daiquiri in our guide here.
8. 8. Sidecar: This 1920s classic is two parts cognac to one part each of orange liqueur, and lemon juice. It’s served straight up, in a martini glass garnished with an orange slice. Learn how to make a Sidecar with our recipe here.
9. 9. Kamikaze: The Kamikaze cocktail is a shot that contains equal parts of vodka, triple sec, and lime. Sometimes blue Curaçao liqueur is added to this classic cocktail in place of triple sec to turn it into a Blue Kamikaze.

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