Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Food & Drink
  3. News

How a top Texas whiskey producer makes an Amaretto Sour cocktail

Three ingredients and a cherry for good measure

Balcones Amaretto Sour.
Balcones Distilling

Autumn is all about adaptation. This is the time of year we reach for fall-friendly Palomas and soups with comforting ingredients. It’s a deep and colorful exhale from summer as we strengthen up for winter.

But don’t rush it, because in between there’s so much to enjoy. No, not Black Friday and the ever-early onset of the holidays. Instead, let’s focus on that freshness about the air and the most ideal place for spectacular fall colors, so many right in our backyards (or thereabouts).

Recommended Videos

Along the way, let’s raise a can of non-alcoholic beer or whip up a memorable cocktail. Doing so is a great way to slow down the pace a bit and take in the wonders of October and November. You know, Champions League soccer, the start of the NBA season, Halloween, and cooking up hearty meals at home.

We got our hands on a Texas twist on a classic cocktail. Read on for Balcones Distilling’s take the Amaretto Sour. We’ve long been a fan of the Lone Star State brand, behind some excellent whiskies. Keep scrolling for the full recipe.

Amaretto Sour

Essentially a three-ingredient cocktail, this one is all about the fusion of the nutty-sweet Italian liqueur and the many flavors of the single malt whiskey.

Ingredients:

  • 1 ounce Balcones Texas 1 Single Malt Whisky
  • 1 ¼ ounces Amaretto
  • 1 ounce lemon juice
  • Cherry for garnish

Method:

  1. Add all ingredients into shaker and add ice.
  2. Shake vigorously for 10 secs and add ice into glass.
  3. Double strain into glass and garnish with cherry on skewer.
Mark Stock
Mark Stock is a writer from Portland, Oregon. He fell into wine during the Recession and has been fixated on the stuff since…
How to survive a winery when you hate wine but your date loves it
Wineries for beginners from a beginner
Architecture, Building, Wood

Navigating the world while trying to operate outside societal norms can be difficult. When everyone in your friend group or family works a Monday-through-Friday, 9-5 job and you are the one jetsetting twice a month and calling multiple places home, it can be quite a challenge to maintain relationships. I have been able to find a way to maintain relationships (mostly) even though my life doesn't make sense to most people. It doesn't make sense to me most of the time either, but that is a conversation for another time. But one of the things that has been difficult for me is finding a way to navigate the wine world. My friends like wine. My dates like wine. Clients like wine. It is like the Roman Empire all over again, every time I go somewhere, someone is trying to pour me a bourdeau or a prosecco, or a riesling, or something or other that I don't know or understand. They are inviting me to wine tastings. They are trying to refine my palette.

But here is the rub. I really hate wine. Lately, I have considered myself a person intensely dedicated to brown beverages. I am a coffee in the morning, bourbon in the evening, and cola in between kind of man. And I like it that way. Navigating the culture of what wine goes with what meal is overwhelming and overcomplicated in my head. Coffee goes with every breakfast or dessert. Pepsi and Coke go with burgers and pizza every time. And, let's face it, bourbon goes with anything. So, why am I ranting about wine? Because I got an opportunity to visit the Susana Balbo winery in Mendoza, Argentina. Did I accept an invitation simply for the opportunity to sample Argentinian meat (which may be the best in the world)? You're damn right I did. Did I learn that I didn't hate wine as much as I thought, and there is a way to survive wineries when everyone around you loves it but you don't? Sure did. And here is how you can, too.

Read more
Buffalo Trace is turning its distillery into a summer camp for adults
Camp Buffalo Trace offers woodworking, tastings, and overnight luxury tents, but you'll have to win a sweepstakes to get in.
Architecture, Building, Cityscape

Buffalo Trace is a legendary name, and with that comes a lot of opportunities. They've done rare bottles, NFT auctions, and a tasting room in the middle of the Wyoming wilderness. So why not do a summer camp?

The Frankfort, Kentucky-based distillery just announced Camp Buffalo Trace, an adults-only (21+) riff on the classic sleepaway camp. Just think bourbon instead of lanyards.

Read more
How to make an umami-forward cocktail currently starring at Normandie in Portland
A cocktail recipe that will wow your palate
Bartender making a drink

Portland is a foodie's delight. From top West Coast breweries and inventive restaurants to a bustling downtown food scene and excellent cart pods, there's an abundance of flavor. And that goes for the beverage side of things too.

Right now, excellent summer cocktails are being mixed up all over the Rose City. From Ladd's Addition to St John's, bartenders across the town are busy. And we've got a great recipe from a new operation in town.

Read more