New York Sour with a Festive Twist

The New York Sour is an upgrade from a classic whiskey sour and this one’s made with a festive fall twist featuring bourbon whiskey, cranberry-infused red wine, lemon juice and aquafaba instead of egg white, which yields a gorgeous frothy head. It’s a delicious drink to make for special occasions, holidays or any time of year you want to celebrate in style. 

The Cranberry New York Sour is a twist on the New York Sour classic cocktail. It features cranberry-infused red wine for a crisp and festive touch.

Whisky, lemon juice and agave nectar create a balanced base and the aquafaba adds a silky texture that provides the lush foam layer.

The wine float introduces a tart berry note, resulting in a visually stunning and flavorful cocktail that’s perfect for all your holiday events and gatherings. So grab your cocktail shaker and let’s get to it! 

🧾 Ingredients and Substitutions

• Fresh Cranberries – buy these whole from your local grocery store or use frozen and thaw them at room temperature before preparing this cocktail. For best results, don’t use canned. 
• Dry Red Wine – a bold red wine that’s dry and fruity works well in this, such as a Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon.
• Whiskey – choose rye whiskey, Wild Turkey, bourbon whiskey or whatever’s your favorite to enjoy. To check if your alcohol is vegan-friendly, check out Barnivore.
• Lemon Juice – fresh lemons are best, but you can also use lemon juice in a jar. 
• Agave Nectar – sweetens the pot, if you will. You can also use organic sugar, brown sugar or coconut sugar instead.
• Aquafaba – this is the brine that comes in a can of organic chickpeas, or garbanzo beans as they are sometimes called. Simply drain the chickpeas, saving them for another recipe and save the brine for this one.
• Dehydrated Citrus Slices (optional garnish) – I prefer dehydrated blood oranges to use as a garnish in my cocktails, but you can use dried oranges, dried lemons, or dried limes. You can also use a lemon twist.
• Fresh Thyme Springs (optional ingredient) – this is an optional garnish but looks the most festive. Another choice would be fresh rosemary, which reminds me of a mini Christmas tree.

🍷 How To Make The New York Sour With Cranberry-Infused Red Wine

🍸 Origins of the New York Sour

There are many cocktails that originate in various parts of New York, such as the Manhattan, Harlem Nights and the Staten Island Ferry. Some folks believe the New York Sour is named after the entire city. But is it?

Essentially, the New York Sour is a whiskey sour topped with a float of red wine. Sounds kinda gross, doesn’t it? Bourbon and red wine? But these two libations actually have a long history together that we won’t get into here. But you can read more about it here.

The sour is a cocktail stripped back to it’s basic components: alcohol (the whiskey), sweet (the agave in this case), and the sour (the lemon juice). Red wine is bitter, so it’s sort of like adding bitters or vermouth to a cocktail like a classic martini.

According to the Difford’s Guide, the New York Sour cocktail dates back to the 1880s and was first made by a Chicago bartender in Chicago, not New York. It’s been called a number of different names over the years, such as the Claret Snap and the Brunswick Sour before settling on it’s current name, the New York Sour.

👨🏻‍🍳 Expert Tips

• To ensure the red wine floats on top of the drink, it’s important to use dry red wine such as a Merlot or Cabernet.
• You can use frozen cranberries instead of fresh, just make sure to rinse them with room temperature water, then follow the instructions as noted.
• Do not use sweetened/dried cranberries, as the sugar content may cause the red wine layer to sink.
• You can save the strained cranberries and use them as a garnish. Store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two weeks. When ready to use, sprinkle them with turbinado sugar or a drizzle of agave and enjoy them over vegan ice cream, yogurt, pancakes, waffles or oatmeal.
• To make this drink in advance, make the cranberry-infused red wine and store it in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 10 days. Mix the whiskey, aquafaba, and agave nectar, and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 7 days. Once you’re ready to serve, add the lemon juice to the whiskey, aquafaba, and agave, and shake in a cocktail shaker with a handful of ice. Prepare and garnish the cocktails as noted above.
• If you love festive layered cocktails, try my spooky Devil’s Margarita and my Red, White and Blue Cocktail.

💭 Frequently Asked Questions

🍲 Serving Suggestions

Make your meal as festive as this New York Sour cocktail by including the fall menu below:

• Vegan Mushroom Wellington
• Dairy-Free Mashed Potatoes
• Vegan Cranberry Sauce
• Vegan Croissant Stuffing
• My Sister’s Sweet Potato Casserole
• Vegan Buttermilk Biscuits

🍹 More Fabulous Seasonal Cocktails

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