Mango Sour

The Mango Sour is a shaken cocktail made with Absolut Mango, fresh lemon juice, simple syrup and egg white, fine strained into a rocks glass over ice and garnished with a mango wedge.

It belongs to the Sours family – spirit, citrus, sweetener and egg white for that signature foamy head. The only difference here is the spirit. Absolut Mango brings a natural fruit sweetness that changes the character of the drink considerably, while everything else stays exactly as it should be.

“You get the taste of fresh mango. It’s really, really good – well balanced. Sugar, citrus – in perfect amounts – and the luxurious, velvety smoothness comes from those egg whites,” says Ricardo ‘Rico’ Dynan, Bartender and Absolut Global Brand Ambassador.

The lemon juice brings a sharp citrus edge, balanced by the gentle sweetness of simple syrup and running through it all, the delicious mango character of Absolut Mango, adding a fruity depth that a standard Vodka Sour simply doesn’t have. The egg white adds that signature silky, frothy texture.

Absolut Mango launched in 2007 and the Mango Sour likely followed not long after, as bartenders began experimenting with flavored vodka in classic formats.

The sour itself has a much longer history. The Whiskey Sour – widely considered the original sour – dates back over 150 years and established the formula that every sour since has followed: spirit, citrus and sweetener. The Mango Sour is a relatively recent addition to that lineage, but one that follows the same rules that have made the format work for over a century.

• Wet shake, then dry shake
  For the best texture, shake twice. First with ice – the wet shake – to chill and combine everything. Then strain out the ice and shake again without it – the dry shake – to fully emulsify the egg white and create that signature frothy head.
• Always use fresh lemon juice
  The sharp, tartness of fresh lemon juice is crucial to every sour cocktail. Bottled lemon juice won’t give you the same result. Fresh lemons and a citrus press or citrus elbow is all you need.
• Chill your glass
  Place your rocks glass in the freezer for at least 30 minutes before serving.

• Use aquafaba instead of egg white
  If you don’t wish to use egg white, aquafaba is a great substitute. You can make it from scratch – soak raw chickpeas in water overnight to hydrate them, then drain, cook and strain, keeping the cooking liquid.

  Reduce the liquid by half over heat and you’ll have aquafaba. Or save yourself the time and simply use the liquid from a can or carton of chickpeas – it works just as well and behaves almost identically to egg white when shaken.

  Check out our post about aquafaba to learn more.

• Try a different Absolut flavored vodkas
  The Mango Sour formula works with almost any Absolut flavored vodka. Try Absolut Raspberri for a raspberry-forward sour, Absolut Passionfruit for something even more tropical or Absolut Citron for a sharper, more citrus-led version.

  Don’t miss our Sour cocktail collection, where we highlight 10 sours every home bartender needs to know how to make.

• Glassware
  Serve in a rocks glass with a large ice cube – that smooth, velvety foam deserves to be shown off, and a large cube keeps the drink cold without over-diluting it.
• Mango spears
  Rico’s garnish of choice – a few thinly-sliced mango spears placed directly into the glass ties back to the Absolut Mango in the drink and adds color that hints at what’s inside.
• Lemon twist
  Prefer something more classic? A lemon twist is the traditional sour garnish and works just as well here – simple, elegant and a nod to the citrus in the drink.