Elk's Own recipe
A rich winter sour pairing spicy rye whiskey with fruity ruby port and a silky egg white foam.
Method: Shake ·
Glass: Coupe glass ·
Time: 3 min ·
Difficulty: Intermediate ·
Family: The Sidecar Family
Ingredients
- 1 oz Rye whiskey (100 proof or bottled in bond)
- 0.75 oz Ruby port
- 0.75 oz Fresh lemon juice
- 0.5 oz Rich demerara syrup (2:1 sugar to water)
- 1 Egg white (from a large egg)
How to make a Elk's Own
- Combine the rye whiskey, ruby port, fresh lemon juice, rich demerara syrup, and egg white in a cocktail shaker without ice.
- Dry shake vigorously for ten seconds to emulsify the egg white.
- Add ice to the shaker and shake hard for another twelve seconds to chill and dilute.
- Double strain the mixture into a chilled coupe glass.
- Garnish the top of the foam with freshly grated nutmeg.
Garnish
Freshly grated nutmeg over the foam
Pro tip
Perform the initial dry shake without ice to build a thick, stable foam before chilling.
History of the Elk's Own
First published in Harry Craddock’s 1927 cocktail manual Barflies and Cocktails, the Elk's Own evolved from nineteenth-century sparkling sour templates like the Chicago Fizz. The recipe pairs spicy American rye whiskey with the deep berry fruit notes of ruby port wine.
Flavour profile
Spicy, Tart, Rich, Silky
Variations
- Chicago Fizz — Top with club soda for a sparkling efferexcent finish.
- Bourbon Elk's Own — Substitute bourbon for rye whiskey for a softer, sweeter profile.
- Cognac Elk's Own — Replace rye whiskey with French cognac to lean into the port wine character.
Practise making the Elk's Own in the free Virtual Bar game.