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Cocktails

Pisco Sour

Pisco Sour is a citrus-led classic with a bright, silky profile and a clean spirit base. Served chilled, it works well when the drink should feel refreshing, balanced and slightly more refined.

Cocktailalcoholic16.8% ABV5 ingredients

At a Glance

232 kcalCalories
16.8%ABV
20.1gSugar
21.4gCarbs
1.33Std Drinks

Estimated from parsed ingredients and typical ingredient nutrition. Some ingredient data may be approximate.

These nutrition figures are approximate estimates for this recipe — actual values vary with your exact measures, brands and serving size.

On this page

How hard is it to make?

Moderateshaken drink

Why: 5 ingredients, shaken drink, requires shaker

Estimated from the ingredient count and technique.

Ingredients & Tools

Tools:Cocktail Shaker

Contains an egg ingredient. Prepare with a fresh, safe egg; those who should avoid raw egg may prefer to skip it.

How to Make It

  1. Vigorously shake and strain contents in a cocktail shaker with ice cubes, then pour into glass and garnish with bitters.Shaken

How to Serve

Glass
Cocktail Glass
Temperature
Chilled
Ice
Cubed ice
Method
Shaken
Served Chilled

Taste

What does Pisco Sour taste like?

Pisco Sour is bright and tart, with citrus carrying much of the first impression. Sweetness and dilution need to balance the sharpness.

Primary flavours

Supporting notes

CitrusBrandy LikeFloralGrapeTart

Flavor tags are derived from ingredient-level flavor mappings.

Estimated sensory profile

StrengthLight – Strong
BodyLight – Full
SweetnessDry – Sweet
AcidityFlat – Crisp
FruitinessEarthy – Fruity
  • Bright and citrusy

What do these dimensions mean?

Practical notes

When to choose it

How to decide if Pisco Sour is right for you

Pisco Sour is best when you want brightness and a clean tart edge. Choose it if citrus balance matters more than richness, creaminess or heavy sweetness. The listed serve is about 16.8% ABV, so strength is part of the decision.

Skip if

Skip Pisco Sour if...

Skip Pisco Sour if tart citrus is not what you want. Sour-style drinks rely on acidity, so they can feel sharp when you are looking for richness or sweetness.

About this drink

The modern Pisco Sour is closely tied to Lima, Peru and Victor Morris's Morris Bar in the early 20th century. The drink also has Peruvian and Chilean variations, so it is best framed as a pisco-based sour with a debated regional history rather than a simple one-country slogan.

When to serve

  • Seafood DinnerSuggested from its lemon and citrus notes, pairing with ceviche and seafood.

Occasion tags are inferred from drink style, serving format, flavour profile, food-pairing theme, recipe metadata, and strict multi-signal supplemental rule matches.

Food pairings

Food pairings are derived from the drink flavour signature, mapped to one dominant pairing theme, then limited to coherent public suggestions.

Diet & lifestyle

Compatible, based on the listed ingredients

Not compatible

KetoLow-CarbLow-SugarVegan

Diet tags are ingredient-level and nutrition-estimate based. Product brands, preparation methods, quantities, and substitutions may change compatibility.

Alternatives to try

Choose an ingredient to see reviewed substitutions, or filter for a different preference.

Reviewed ingredient substitutions

Lemon Juice1 oz

Lime JuiceWorks, with a noticeable change
How much to use
Start with the same amount, then adjust sweetness if the drink tastes too sharp.
What changes
Lime juice can usually replace lemon juice, but the drink becomes sharper and more tropical.
Vegetarian-compatibleGluten-free-compatible

Sugar1-2 tblsp

Simple SyrupWorks, with a noticeable change
How much to use
Use about 1/4 oz simple syrup per teaspoon of sugar as a starting point.
What changes
Simple syrup can replace sugar, but it also adds water and dissolves more easily.
Vegetarian-compatibleGluten-free-compatible

Reviewed component substitutions are not guarantees that the replacement was tested in this exact recipe. Follow the reviewed adjustment note and taste before serving.

Preference filters use current ingredient, nutrition and diet evidence. They are not medical advice, and this database contract does not store user selections.

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Last updated

Ingredients, measures and method are taken from the source recipe; roles and serving details are mapped from reviewed evidence.

Frequently asked questions

Can I make a Pisco Sour at home?
Yes. The Pisco Sour uses 5 ingredients, making it straightforward to prepare at home. You will need a Cocktail Glass. Use quality spirits and fresh ingredients for the best result.