Classic Peruvian Pisco Sour Cocktail

Written by
Marian Blazes
Marian Blazes is a freelance writer and recipe developer with a passion for South American food. She wrote a cookbook focusing on the cuisine of Brazil.
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Marian Blazes
Tested by
Danielle Centoni Reviewed on 04/16/20 by
Danielle Centoni is a Portland-based, James Beard Journalism Award winning food writer and cookbook author whose idea of a perfect day always includes butter, sugar, flour and an oven
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Danielle Centoni
Updated 04/23/20
Classic Pisco Sour Cocktail

The Spruce
  • Total: 10 mins
  • Prep: 10 mins
  • Cook: 0 mins
  • Yield: 1 large or 2 small pisco sours
Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)
405 Calories
0g Fat
68g Carbs
5g Protein
See Full Nutritional Guidelines Hide Full Nutritional Guidelines
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1 large or 2 small pisco sours
Amount per serving
Calories 405
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 1%
Saturated Fat 0g 1%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 81mg 4%
Total Carbohydrate 68g 25%
Dietary Fiber 2g 7%
Protein 5g
Calcium 33mg 3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

There are many ways to make the famous Peruvian pisco sour cocktails, so it's best to know the fundamentals before attempting a variation.

The basic recipe includes pisco brandy, simple syrup, lime juice. With that goes egg white and a sprinkle of Angostura bitters.

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Click Play to See This Classic Peruvian Pisco Sour Cocktail Recipe Come Together

Ingredients

  • 2 ounces pisco
  • 1 ounce simple syrup
  • 3/4 ounce key lime juice
  • 1 egg white
  • 2 to 3 dashes Angostura bitters

Steps to Make It

  1. Mix the pisco, lime juice, simple syrup, and egg white in a cocktail shaker.

    shaker
     The Spruce

  2. Add ice to fill, and shake vigorously. Alternatively, you can use a blender if you don't have a shaker.

    shaker and glass of ice
     The Spruce

  3. Strain into an old-fashioned glass, and sprinkle the Angostura bitters on top of the foam.

    drink poured into glass
     The Spruce

  4. Serve immediately.

Tips

To get the most authentic version of this classic Peruvian cocktail, be sure to heed the following six tips: 

  • Tip 1: Very tart lime juice is essential. Many recipes call for lemon juice, possibly a translation error from the Spanish word limon. Limones are actually small South American limes, similar to key limes (also known as "Peruvian lemons").
  • Tip 2: Remember that the skin of limes has a lot of essential oils that can be a tad too bitter and sour, so when squeezing your limes, be sure to keep the flesh side facing down and not running down the lime peel. Also, don't drop the lime in as garnish after it’s been squeezed into your drink as it will also tamper with the taste. 
  • Tip 3: Keep the simple syrup really simple. You can use any recipe for simple syrup you want, but the easiest and yummiest option is to forgo the weird sweeteners, artificial sweeteners or expensive syrups and just do 1:1 ratio of sugar to water and mix. 
  • Tip 4: Don’t be scared of using real egg whites. You can always use pasteurized liquid egg whites from a container, but the texture is not quite the same and can affect the look and taste of an authentic pisco sour.
  • Tip 5: Shake your cocktail well so that when you pour it into an old-fashioned glass, you get a nice 1/2-inch layer of foam on top.
  • Tip 6: Don't stress if you don't have Angostura bitters on hand, you can do without. Instead, you can try a sprinkle of cinnamon on top of the foam, but that is not necessary either.