The recipe
- 2 ozBourbon60 ml
- ½ ozPimento (allspice) liqueur15 ml
- ½ ozLime juice15 ml
- 1 tspGomme syrup
- 1 dashAngostura bitters
How to make it
- 1Shake everything with ice.
- 2Strain into a chilled coupe.
The Café Royal book gives ⅔ bourbon and ⅙ each of allspice dram and lime; the amounts are scaled to a 3 oz drink.
The ratio
4 : 1 : 1 : ¼
In parts, a Lion’s Tail is 4 whiskey, 1 allspice, 1 lime and ¼ syrup. Change one part and you have a cousin; the closest are below.
Built the same way
Head to head
More Sours
- Amaretto Sour — Amaretto and lemon shaken with egg white into a foamy, almond-sweet sour.
- Aviation — Gin and lemon sweetened with maraschino, with a spoonful of crème de violette for its pale sky color and floral edge.
- Bee’s Knees — Gin softened with honey and brightened with lemon and orange. A gentle, rounded sour.
- Between the Sheets — Cognac and white rum with triple sec and lemon: a Sidecar with a second spirit. Strong and orange-scented.
- Bramble — A gin sour over crushed ice with blackberry liqueur drizzled through it, bleeding purple as it sinks.
- Breakfast Martini — Gin, Cointreau and lemon shaken with a spoon of orange marmalade: a White Lady with breakfast in it.