Preparation
- Pre-chill the serving glass. Add the measured ingredients to a shaker.
- Add plenty of solid ice cubes and shake vigorously for about 10–15 seconds.
- Strain through a bar strainer into the pre-chilled glass; the shaking ice stays in the shaker.
What does it taste like?
The Trinidad Sour tastes like no other cocktail. First comes a wave of spice and herbs, followed by a distinct bitterness. That's the 45 milliliters of Angostura, which here doesn't just season the drink but carries it. Working against that is the orgeat: sweet, soft, and nutty, taking the edge off the bitterness. The lemon turns the whole thing into a sour and keeps it fresh throughout. The rye stays in the background, adding just a bit of grainy spice. What lingers at the end is a long, dry, bitter finish.
When does it work best?
Not a drink for your first night of cocktails. The Trinidad Sour is for the curious, for those who like bitter flavors and already know what Angostura is. Drink it after a meal, slowly and in small sips. As an aperitif, it's too heavy. If you're looking for something sweet, you'll be disappointed, since the bitterness always stands behind the orgeat.
What matters
The 45 milliliters of Angostura are not a typo. It really means 45 milliliters, not 4.5 milliliters, and not just a few dashes. If you use too little, you'll get a tame almond sour without the idea behind it. Two more notes: orgeat is almond syrup and may contain real almonds. And Angostura itself has a high alcohol content, so this drink is no light after-work glass.
Where the drink comes from
Giuseppe Gonzalez developed the Trinidad Sour in the circle around New York's Clover Club. The drink is documented as early as 2009. His idea was simple and radical: bitters, which usually go into a glass drop by drop, are the main ingredient here. Orgeat and lemon build the usual sour balance of sweetness and acidity around it. The rye is left with only a small supporting role. The name refers to the bitters' origin story. It doesn't mean the drink was invented in Trinidad.