The Amaretto Sour — The Rehabilitation
The most underestimated cocktail in the bar. It started as a clean, almond-forward classic in the 1970s, got buried under sour mix and bad decisions in the '80s, and spent decades as a punchline. Then Jeffrey Morgenthaler out of Portland looked at the bones of this drink and understood exactly what was missing.
This is the rehabilitation.
What's in the glass:
Amaretto — Italian, almond-forward, deep cherry and toasted nuts. A sweetness that has real weight to it. Still the soul of the drink.
Cask-proof Bourbon — Morgenthaler's move. High-proof so it cuts through the sweetness without disappearing. It doesn't compete with the amaretto. It holds It up.
Fresh lemon juice — The tension. Without it, amaretto just sits there.
Rich simple syrup — Just enough to balance.
Egg white — Silky, frothy, and structural. The foam on top isn't decoration. It's part of the drink.
The Build: 1.5oz Amaretto | .75oz cask-proof bourbon | 1oz fresh lemon juice | 1 tsp rich simple syrup | .5oz egg white
Dry shake first — no ice — to build the foam. Add ice, shake hard again. Strain into a rocks glass over a large cube. Express lemon twist, drop it in. Two brandied cherries, because the drink earned them.
