Bitters Take Center Stage In The Trinidad Sour Cocktail

June 24, 2026 | By Benjamin Smith
Bitters Take Center Stage In The Trinidad Sour Cocktail

Everything You Need to Know About The Trinidad Sour

The Trinidad Sour is a truly unique cocktail that defies everything you thought you knew about balance. While most drinks treat bitters as a seasoning, this recipe puts them front and center as the primary base spirit. Created by Las Vegas bartender Giuseppe Gonzalez, it’s a bold, aromatic masterpiece that is surprisingly harmonious, balanced by the nuttiness of orgeat and the punch of rye whiskey.

Trinidad Sour

Prep Time3 min
Yield1 Cocktail
Base SpiritBitters

Ingredients

  • 1.5 oz Aromatic Bitters
  • 0.5 oz Rye Whiskey
  • 1 oz Almond Syrup
  • 0.75 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
Bitters Take Center Stage In The Trinidad Sour Cocktail

Instructions

  1. Add the bitters, rye, orgeat, and lemon juice into a shaker.
  2. Fill with ice and shake hard—you want this drink very cold and well-aerated.
  3. Fine strain into a chilled coupe glass.
  4. No garnish is necessary; the intense aroma of the bitters is the star of the show.
Pro Tip
Don't waste time shaking a standard bitters bottle 40 times to get a full ounce. Use a butter knife or coin to pry off the plastic dasher cap, then pour it directly into your jigger like a standard spirit for a fast, accurate measurement.

Trinidad Sour Riff

If the full 1.5 oz of bitters is too intense, try the Trinidad Sunset: use 1.5 oz of Rye and only 1/2 oz of bitters for a more traditional whiskey-forward experience.

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