So today I let my mind wander freely. I wanted to try a new cocktail so I have something to put on this blog (it’s been quite depressing seeing that only thread sitting there by itself…). In the imaginary gallery, my mind stopped in front of this one mental picture.
Oh yeah, it looks cool.
Presented here is a picture from Jeffrey Morgenthaler on How to Make an Angostura-Scorched Pisco Sour. I’ve actually been thinking about making a Pisco Sour for a while, due to the cool presentation potential with the egg white foam top and Angostura Bitters etching. So I thought today I might finally do it.
I set out to the Shoreline Liquor & Wine store to find some Pisco first. Pisco is a liquor distilled from grapes, invented by the Spanish in the 16th century. It is named after the port city Pisco of the Viceroyalty of Peru (basically the entire Spanish-reigned South America), in which the Spaniards originally tried to produce orujo, an inexpensive version of Spanish brandy.
Wine imports from Viceroyalty of Peru to Spain were banned in 1641, leaving the region to solely concentrate on the production of Pisco.
Pisco was a popular alcohol of choice among the sailors, as the officers generally had the priviledge to drink whisky or other finer liquors, and Pisco, well… it gets the job done fast. In the modern world, Pisco is quite a hot subject that both Peru and Chile are fighting over the lega production of this spirit, thanks to the popularization contributed by the cocktail Pisco Sour.
Anyway, enough of history, let’s talk cocktail.
I haven’t bought the Misto yet, so there’s no way I can perform such an incredible flame-throwing show like the picture, but etching it fun too. 
Recipe:
2 oz. Pisco
2/3 oz. Lime juice
2/3 oz. Simple syrup
1 Egg white
Dashes of Angostura bitters (the original recipe calls for Amargo bitters, but where the hell can I find that… lol)
Procedure:
Put the Pisco, lime juice, simple syrup, and egg white in a shaker WITHOUT the ice, shake vigorously so the egg white emulsifies.
Then add the ice, shake again.
Strain and pour.
Finally, on top of the drink, drizzle several dashes of Angostura bitters. Etching optional.
You can clearly see the egg white foam floating on top layer.
And here’s where the fun is.
I didn’t quite feel so adventurous tonight, so I just went with the basic classic design. Cocktail is more about the taste than looks anyway, though I’m definitely not undermining the importance of presentation.
The taste:
It tastes…sour (no way!). But it’s not just a regular artificial sour taste. The grape flavor from the Pisco blends with the lime juice creates a very refreshing, mildly tangy (lol?), citrus-y taste. I just regret not trying this drink in the summer before the Seattle weather “got back to normal”. It’s sweet and sour, very refreshing, with the distinct taste of Pisco, yet not overwhelmed by the typical alcohol taste. It’s a drink that you can gulp down like a cool glass of plum juice. It probably would’ve been much better if I could find a better Pisco, but then again, I actually don’t see myself making this drink on a regular basis, so…
It certainly is fun to make though! Especially with the Misto and torch, it can be quite a show as an entertainment.
