Sour cocktails are among the oldest and most enduring styles in the world of mixology, tracing their roots back to the 18th century. Originally developed by sailors who mixed citrus juice with spirits to prevent scurvy, these early concoctions laid the foundation for the sour formula we know today: a balance of spirit, citrus, and sweetener. By the mid-19th century, the style was formalised in Jerry Thomas’s 1862 Bartender’s Guide, which featured classics like the Whiskey Sour and Brandy Sour. Over time, bartenders refined the recipe further—introducing ingredients like egg white for texture—creating a family of drinks that are timeless, refreshing, and endlessly adaptable.
If you love basil & citrus / sour based cocktails, then this is the cocktail for you.
Ease of Making: Easy.
Glass Type: Coupe or Nick Nora
Taste: Sweet & sour but very freshing.
Recipe:
- 40ml Great Bustard Flight Strength
- 15ml yuzu liqueur
- 70ml basil and citrus syrup – see below
- 15ml lime juice
- 1 x egg white
- 1x slices dehydrated lime
Syrup Recipe:
- 100g finely chopped mixed lime and lemon peel (lemon brings tartness)
- 50g finely chopped basil
- 100g sugar
- Put all the syrup ingredients in a medium pan, add 100g cold water and put on a medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
- Take off the heat, leave to cool.
- Fine-strain and store in the fridge, where it will keep for about three weeks.
Method:
- Add all the ingredients (except ice) into a cocktail shaker.
- Dry shake (without ice) to break up the egg white and mix the ingredients.
- Add lots of ice to the cocktail shaker and shake hard
- Strain the cocktail into your glass
