What does a pisco sour taste like?
A pisco sour tastes tangy, silky and lightly floral: grape brandy from Peru or Chile shaken with lime, sugar and egg white, under a thick foam dotted with bitters.
Pisco sour
tangy, foamy, a little floral
A pisco sour is pisco, a clear grape brandy from Peru and Chile, shaken hard with lime, sugar and egg white. The egg white whips into a thick, pillowy foam on top, and a few drops of Angostura bitters on the foam give every sip a warm, spiced smell. Underneath, it's bright and tangy, with pisco adding a fruity, floral, almost grapey flavor that's different from vodka or gin. It's silky rather than sharp, and it drinks easier than its strength suggests.
Where you’ll see it
On Peruvian and Chilean restaurant menus and many cocktail bars, served up in a coupe or short glass with bitters on the foam. You may see fruit versions with passion fruit (maracuyá) too.
Order it if you like a whiskey sour but want something lighter, brighter and more floral.
Quick questions
- Does a pisco sour have raw egg?
- Yes, usually raw egg white, which makes the foam. It doesn't taste eggy. Ask for it without, or with aquafaba, if you prefer.
- What does pisco taste like?
- Pisco is a grape brandy that is usually unaged, so it tastes clean, fruity and floral, a bit like grappa but softer.