Stockholm Sour

The Stockholm Sour is a vodka cocktail and a twist on a classic New York Sour cocktail. Where the original is made with Rye Whiskey, a Stockholm Sour is made with Vodka.

There’s the taste of tangy lemon and a hint of sweetness, topped with a fruity red wine float for a unique, layered taste.

“With Absolut Vodka being the team player that it is, and born to mix, it makes all other flavors really, really stand out and the Claret Wine is really emphasized within this,” shares Ricardo ‘Rico’ Dynan, Bartender and Absolut Global Brand Ambassador.

The Stockholm Sour was invented in 2024 by Ricardo ‘Rico’ Dynan, Bartender and Absolut Global Brand Ambassador.. While making a New York Sour for the Absolut Drinks with Rico YouTube series, Rico tackled the question of whether the drink would work with Vodka. And the answer? Yes, it does!

To create the Stockholm Sour, Rico followed the exact same recipe as the New York Sour but swaps Rye Whiskey for Vodka. And just like that, a new cocktail was created.

• Sweeten to your liking
  When making sours, the rule for Simple Syrup used to be 1:1, meaning one part Sugar to one part Water. However, nowadays, it’s all down to preference. For the Stockholm Sour and New York Sour, you’ll see that Rico opts for a 2:1 ratio to create a Rich Syrup. So, play around with it. At the end of the day, it’s your drink.

• Settle down and pour slow and steady
  After pouring your mixture into your glass, let it settle for a few seconds before adding the Claret so you can get the Claret into the drink properly. The secret to layering is to pour slow and steady. Use the back of your Bar Spoon to pour in the Claret.

• Add the Egg Whites last
  When adding ingredients to your Cocktail Shaker, put the Egg Whites in last. As Rico explains, after adding the Lemon Juice, you don’t want the Eggs to start “cooking,” which could result in a strange, scrambled egg-like texture.

• Shake it your way
  When making sours, Rico prefers using a reverse dry shake, which involves first shaking cocktail ingredients with Ice, then straining out the Ice and shaking again without it.
  
  The reverse dry shake is especially useful for drinks with Egg Whites like the Stockholm Sour, as it creates a frothy, velvety texture, which is exactly what you want for sour drinks. Try different shaking techniques and see which you prefer.

• New York Sour
  The Stockholm Sour wouldn’t exist if not for the original New York Sour. In the words of Rico, “It’s possibly one of the best cocktails ever invented.” The two drinks follow the exact same recipe except the New York Sour uses Rye Whiskey.
  Take a look at our New York Sour recipe.

• Whiskey Sour
  The original and arguably still the best. The Whiskey Sour is considered the Monarch of the Sours cocktail family, with a rich history and the inspiration for countless sour drinks.
  Discover how to make a classic Whiskey Sour.

We recommend serving the Stockholm Sour in a Rocks Glass with a single large Ice Block just like the New York Sour. Why? It makes for a more elegant drinking experience. It will also make sure your drink stays colder longer and won’t dilute or become too watery. 

Lemon Zest is the garnish of choice for sours, with the Stockholm Sour included. Squeeze the oils from Lemon Peel over your drink and then place the Peel directly in your Glass.