Ladies and Gentlemen,

this is MxMo time! Hell ya - its long ago, that I could participate - properly.

Again: now it is Mixology Monday XLIV - this would make #44 after my conversion...

What the hell is meant? Please see the “box” besides, which cites Paul and Kevin...

...this sounds a bit weird, first.

Though its very interesting - something different.

So what is my contribution here?

I learned, that there are a lot of classic drinks, which can surprise most guests. Lets say it like that: most people are accustomed to bad made drinks. But if you are crafting a drink with the right care - the right temperature, the correct dilution and made with proper spirits, they will be amazed.

Though some drinks are harder to get closer to guests than others.

The drink, even I was absolutely surprised of, is a Maple Rare Breed Sour.

No rocket science here:

Maple Rare Breed Sour

5 cl Wild Turkey Rare Breed

2 cl instantly fresh squeezed Lemon Juice

1.5 cl Maple Syrup

2 dashes Aromatic Bitters

few teaspoons fresh egg white [call it glair].

Pour all ingredients into a chilled and ice cube filled Boston glass.

Shake excessive a minimum of 30 seconds.

Strain into a chilled ice cube filled tumbler [before discard melting water].

Garnish with a sour flag [half orange, half lemon and amarena cherry].

Even people who don’t necessarily like Bourbon, are stunned by the smoothness, structure and presence of this drink. The deep maple syrup aromas are supporting along with the bitters the roast aromas of the barrel proof whiskey; the lemon juice is bringing balance and freshness into the equation - yes this is a great drink!

Sours are the godfathers of drinks anyway! Except maybe of the Old Fashioned[s], which are though completely not comparable. The Old Fashioned is refined, characterful, balanced, structured and sophisticated - though also a bit of a spoiler. It is like an opera - intellectual, as serious - it is sometimes not the right time to drink one! Though a sour, with its sweet and sour concept is just serious enough to be called refined though fun enough to be consumed in every single occasion!

If it is made right...

Lets say the Old Fashioned is the deity of cocktails - while the Sour is “only” the godfather...

Yep... that much a sour rules really the drink concerned world!

Now the maple syrup seems for some a bit of a wide stretch of being a classic sour... so why not trying a El Dorado Sour?

El Dorado Sour

5 cl El Dorado 15 years old

2 cl instantly freshed Lemon Juice

1 cl Rich Syrup

few teaspoons of glair

Pour all ingredients into a chilled and ice cube filled Boston glass.

Shake excessive a minimum of 30 seconds.

Strain into a chilled ice cube filled tumbler [before discard melting water].

Garnish with a sour flag [half orange, half lemon and amarena cherry].

Holy Moly - it is amazing what the selection of the right rum can do for your drink! It is velvety, rum-y, full bodied, toasty, absolutely elusive! And it comes in the shape of the ordinary sour recipe!

I’ve converted even wine-only drinker with it! It is just so different - it just displays the spirit - but adds so much funk! No one have the chance to escape of the seductive tentacles of this drink.

Though this is not the end of the rainbow. The Sour category not only consist the Whiskey Sour and the Rum Sour - it also features a Gin Sour [can be ultra funky], the Hemmingway Sour [Gin Sour - just substitute sugar with grenadine syrup], a brandy sour... and then it goes to the relatives, the New Orleans Sours, which are starting with a very close_to_Sour Daiquiri but then stretches over Sidecars, Margaritas, White Ladies. Even further: some more fashionable drinks are in theory also sours: Caipirinha someone?

The really important message here: You have to use quality products! And: You have to prepare the drinks properly! Properly shaken, the temperature supposed to be below 4.5 ℃! Shaken with proper full ice cubes.

This makes the Sour a Money Drink!