The Trinidad Sour cocktail is a bold and distinctive drink that balances intense bitterness with unexpected sweetness. While Angostura bitters take center stage, the cocktail’s complexity is enriched by orgeat syrup and freshly squeezed lemon juice, rounded out with a touch of rye whiskey. Its character is deep, spicy, and layered—perfect for adventurous palates. Though the bitterness may be polarizing, fans of herbal cough drops will likely appreciate its punchy charm.
Story
The Trinidad Sour is a relatively modern creation, developed in 2009 by Giuseppe Gonzalez at the Clover Club in Brooklyn, New York. It quickly gained a cult following among bartenders and cocktail aficionados for its daring use of Angostura bitters as a base ingredient—an unconventional choice, given that bitters had traditionally been used only in small dashes to accent other cocktails.
Ingredients
1 ½ oz (45 ml) Angostura bitters
1 oz (30 ml) orgeat syrup
¾ oz (25 ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice
½ oz (15 ml) rye whiskey
How to Make the Trinidad Sour Cocktail
Pour all the ingredients into a shaker filled with ice and shake vigorously until well chilled. Double strain into a chilled Nick & Nora glass.
Serving and Garnish
The Trinidad Sour is typically served in a Nick & Nora or coupe glass. A lemon twist makes a fitting garnish, though this is one of the rare cocktails that doesn’t require decoration.
Calorie Content
A single serving of Trinidad Sour contains approximately 200 calories, primarily influenced by the alcohol and sugar content of the orgeat syrup.