The Trinidad Sour: The Cocktail Made With 1½ Ounces of Bitters
Most cocktails use Angostura bitters by the dash. The Trinidad Sour uses a full ounce and a half. It sounds like a typo. It isn't. One sip and it makes sense: spiced, nutty, a little tart, and nothing like you'd expect. Here's the story, the classic recipe, and our rum twist.
In This Guide
What Is a Trinidad Sour?
The Trinidad Sour is a modern classic built on four ingredients: Angostura aromatic bitters, orgeat (an almond syrup), lemon juice, and a small pour of rye whiskey. What makes it famous is the ratio. The bitters aren't a seasoning here. They're the base spirit, and the rye plays a supporting role.
| Trinidad Sour | |
|---|---|
| Base | Angostura Aromatic Bitters (1½ oz) |
| Sweetener | Orgeat (almond syrup) |
| Sour | Lemon juice |
| Supporting spirit | Rye whiskey (classic) or dark rum (our version) |
| Glass | Chilled coupe |
| Tastes like | Cinnamon, clove, toasted almond, and bright citrus |
Where It Came From
The Trinidad Sour was created by bartender Giuseppe González around 2009 at Clover Club, the Brooklyn cocktail bar that opened in 2008. He has said the drink was inspired by the Trinidad Especial, a competition-winning cocktail by Valentino Bolognese that also used Angostura as its base.
The name is a nod to Angostura itself. The bitters are made in Trinidad and Tobago, where the House of Angostura has produced them for well over a century. What started as a bartender's curiosity spread to cocktail menus in multiple countries and earned a spot among the modern classics.
Why It Works
On paper, an ounce and a half of bitters should be undrinkable. In the glass, it isn't, and the reason is balance.
- Orgeat tames the bitterness. A full ounce of rich almond syrup rounds off Angostura's sharp edges and adds a creamy, nutty body.
- Lemon keeps it bright. The acid cuts through the sugar so the drink finishes clean, not syrupy.
- The spirit adds backbone. Just half an ounce of rye (or rum) gives the drink structure and a little extra warmth.
- Angostura brings everything else. Cinnamon, clove, and dried fruit come through as a big, spiced flavor, a little like a liquid holiday cookie.
The Classic Recipe
- 1½ oz Angostura Aromatic Bitters
- 1 oz orgeat
- ¾ oz lemon juice
- ½ oz rye whiskey, such as Rittenhouse Rye
How to make it: add everything to a shaker with ice. Shake hard until the tin is frosty, then double strain into a chilled coupe. No garnish needed. The drink pours a deep, rusty red with a fine foam on top.
Rittenhouse is the rye we'd reach for. It's bottled in bond at 100 proof, so even half an ounce has enough spice to stand up to all that bitters and almond.
Our Twist: The Rum Trinidad Sour
Here's our favorite variation. Swap the rye for Planteray Original Dark Rum (the brand formerly known as Plantation). It's a blend of rums distilled in Trinidad and Jamaica, so Trinidad's most famous export gets paired with rum made partly on the same island. The dark rum's rich, molasses-driven character leans into the orgeat and makes the whole drink rounder and a little more tropical.
- 1½ oz Angostura Aromatic Bitters
- 1 oz Finest Call Orgeat
- ¾ oz lemon juice
- ½ oz Planteray Original Dark Rum
Shake with ice and double strain into a chilled coupe, same as the classic.
We put the whole recipe in one box: Planteray Original Dark Rum, a 16 oz bottle of Angostura Aromatic Bitters (a small 4 oz bottle only covers about two drinks), Finest Call Orgeat, and lemon juice. It's a great gift for the home bartender who thinks they've tried everything.
What You'll Need
The star of the drink. Grab the 16 oz bottle if you plan to make Trinidad Sours more than once. The classic 4 oz bottle holds enough for about two and a half drinks.
Our pick for the rum version. Rich, double aged, and a great value for mixing. It also makes an excellent Dark 'n Stormy or rum Old Fashioned.
For the original recipe. Bold, spicy, and a bartender staple for decades.
Finest Call Orgeat comes in a full liter, so you'll have plenty for Trinidad Sours, Mai Tais, and more. Liquid Alchemist Almond Orgeat is a smaller bottle with a richer, more pronounced almond flavor.
Fresh-squeezed is always great. For convenience, Master of Mixes Lemon Juice is single pressed and ready to pour; just keep it in the fridge after opening.
Looking for more? Browse our full bitters collection, our rum selection, or all of our bar supplies.
Tips for Making It at Home
- Measure carefully. With this much bitters, an extra quarter ounce of anything throws the balance off. Use a jigger.
- Shake hard. A long, hard shake adds dilution and builds the foam that gives the drink its silky texture.
- Chill the glass. A frozen coupe keeps the drink crisp from the first sip to the last.
- Start with the rum version if you're nervous. The dark rum softens the drink just enough to make it an easier first taste.
- Watch the cap. Pouring 1½ oz of Angostura through a dasher top takes forever. Remove the plastic insert carefully, or pour from the 16 oz bottle.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Trinidad Sour really made with 1½ ounces of bitters?
Yes. Angostura Aromatic Bitters is the base of the drink. Orgeat and lemon balance it out so it's spiced and nutty rather than harsh.
What does a Trinidad Sour taste like?
Think cinnamon, clove, and dried fruit from the bitters, toasted almond from the orgeat, and a bright lemon finish. It's rich, warming, and surprisingly smooth.
Can I use bourbon instead of rye?
You can. Bourbon makes a slightly sweeter, rounder drink. Rye is traditional, and dark rum is our favorite twist.
Can I use other bitters?
Not if you want a Trinidad Sour. The drink is built around Angostura specifically. Other aromatic bitters will taste very different.
Is it strong?
Stronger than it looks. Angostura is 44.7% ABV, and the drink also includes a spirit, so treat it like any spirit-forward cocktail.
Make a Trinidad Sour Tonight
Get everything for the rum version in one kit, or build your own from our bitters and bar supplies. Family-owned since 1982.
Shop the Trinidad Sour Kit All Cocktail Kits Shop BittersThe Liquor Barn operates three retail locations in Vernon Hills, Wheeling, and Niles, Illinois. We are a licensed Illinois retailer and ship to states where direct-to-consumer alcohol shipping is permitted. Prices and availability change; the product page always has the current price. Questions about shipping to your state? Contact us here. Please drink responsibly.
