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Lima, Peru · Peruvian

Pisco Sour (Peru's National Cocktail)

Peru's frothy, bright national drink: pisco, fresh lime, sugar and egg white, shaken to a silky foam and finished with bitters. The dry-shake trick for that signature cap.

By Table & Traditions Editors

Published June 21, 2026

A pisco sour in a chilled glass with a thick white egg-white foam cap dotted with reddish-brown Angostura bitters, pale and frothy.

The pisco sour is Peru's national cocktail, created in 1920s Lima at the Morris Bar and beloved across the Andes (Chile claims its own version too). Built on pisco — the clear grape brandy of the region — with fresh lime, sugar and egg white, it's bright and bracing under a silky white foam crowned with bitters. Peru even has a national Pisco Sour Day.

Yield
Makes 1
Prep
6 min
Cook
0 min
Total
About 6 min
Difficulty
Intermediate

The pisco sour is Peru’s national cocktail — pisco, fresh lime, sugar and egg white, shaken to a silky foam and crowned with a few drops of bitters. Bright and bracing under that white cap, it’s celebrated enough to have its own national day.

Start with pisco

Pisco is the clear grape brandy of Peru and Chile — clean, fragrant and unaged, closer to a fine eau-de-vie than a whiskey. A Peruvian Quebranta or acholado is the classic base.

The dry shake builds the foam

Shake the pisco, lime, syrup and egg white first with no ice for a full 15 seconds. This “dry shake” emulsifies the egg white into a thick, stable foam — the drink’s signature. Then add ice and shake again to chill and dilute.

Finish with bitters

Double-strain into a chilled glass and dot a few drops of Angostura onto the foam, drawing a pattern through if you like. Use fresh lime and a clean egg — or aquafaba for a vegan version. Pour it alongside Peruvian ceviche. More in the Drinks guide.

Ingredients

Makes
1
  • 60 ml (2 oz) pisco A Peruvian Quebranta or acholado pisco is classic; it's an unaged grape brandy, clean and aromatic.
  • 25 ml (0.75 oz) fresh lime juice Peruvian limes are small and sharp; fresh lime is essential to the drink's brightness.
  • 20 ml (0.66 oz) simple syrup
  • 1 fresh egg white The egg white creates the silky texture and foam cap. Use a fresh, clean egg, or aquafaba for a vegan version.
  • a few drops Angostura bitters, to finish
  • ice

Method

Tap a step’s number to check it off as you go.

  1. Add the pisco, lime juice, simple syrup and egg white to a shaker with NO ice and shake hard for 15 seconds (the 'dry shake').

    Why: Shaking without ice first emulsifies the egg white and whips it into a stable foam — the dry shake is what gives the pisco sour its signature silky cap.

  2. Add ice and shake again hard for another 15 seconds until very cold.

    Why: The second shake with ice chills and dilutes the drink to balance; the foam built in the dry shake holds through it.

  3. Double-strain into a chilled glass and drop a few dots of Angostura bitters onto the foam. Draw a pattern through them if you like.

    Why: Double-straining keeps the foam clean; the bitters add aroma and a classic decorative finish on the white surface.

A quick, anonymous tap — no review needed.

Variations

  • Vegan (aquafaba)

    Use 30 ml of aquafaba (chickpea brine) in place of the egg white — it foams beautifully and is flavour-neutral.

  • Maracuyá (passion fruit)

    Add passion fruit purée for the popular Peruvian variation — fragrant, tart and tropical.

  • Chilcano

    For a longer, lighter pisco drink, try a chilcano: pisco, lime, ginger ale and bitters over ice — no egg, no shaking.

Serving & Storage

Serve cold in a chilled rocks or sour glass, foam-topped, as an aperitif. Sip slowly — under the foam it's bright, tart and stronger than it tastes.

Pairs with: Peruvian ceviche, Causa, Anticuchos, Salted corn (cancha).

Storage: Make to order — the egg-white foam is the whole point and collapses quickly. You can pre-mix the pisco, lime and syrup, but add the egg white and shake fresh.

Nutrition

Per serving (1 cocktail (~120 ml))

Calories
200
Protein
3 g
Carbs
13 g
Fat
0 g
Fiber
0 g
Sugar
12 g
Sodium
15 mg

Estimated using standard ingredient data. Values vary with brands and substitutions.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is pisco?

Pisco is a clear grape brandy from Peru and Chile, distilled from fermented grapes and traditionally unaged. It's clean, fragrant and grape-forward — closer to a fine eau-de-vie than a whiskey. The Peruvian style is the classic base for a pisco sour.

Why shake it twice?

The first shake without ice (the 'dry shake') emulsifies the egg white into a thick, stable foam. The second shake with ice chills and dilutes the drink. Skip the dry shake and you'll get a thin, short-lived foam.

Is the raw egg white safe?

Use a fresh, clean egg from a reliable source and the risk is very low; the acidity of the lime also helps. If you'd rather avoid raw egg entirely, aquafaba (chickpea brine) makes an excellent, foamy vegan substitute.

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