Is the Almond Gin Sour full of almond flavor? Not really. Is it super sour? Not really. Is this gin drink even good? YES. It’s awesome. This gin drink is smooth, gin positive, and there is a great hint of some orange flavor.

You may have already heard of this drink, it’s some times called the Hotel Georgia. It originally popped up in the book, Bottom’s Up. This 1950s gem of a publication written by Ted Saucier allegedly has some “risque” artistic renderings in it. All the more reason to add it to your cocktail book collection.

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The Almond Gin Sour

The Almond Gin Sour, also called the Hotel Georgia, is a lovely and fresh way to enjoy gin and orgeat syrup, paired with lemon and a touch of orange blossom water. Add egg white for some frothy foam if you like.

Ingredients

2 Oz. Gin
.5 Oz. Orgeat syrup – make your own
.5 Oz. Lemon juice
2 drops Orange blossom water
1 egg's worth of egg white for the foam

Instructions

Add your ingredients, including the egg white into your cocktail shaker.
DRY shake the ingredients without ice, at least about 30 seconds.
Then add your ice to the shaker.
Shake again.
Strain into your coupe glass!
Garnish with some lemon peel if you like. It's also good "naked".

Some notes on the Almond Gin Sour.

This is a very gin forward cocktail. Not as much as a Gin Martini, but you still get the gin flavors and botanicals coming through. For this reason, you may want to play around with what type of gin you use. My standard “go-to” gin for a flavorful cocktail is a classic and simple gin, so I reached for the Roku. Sometimes it’s Bombay, sometimes it’s Seagram’s or Gordon’s or whatever I have on hand. These are reliable and good, and get the job done, but Roku has just a smidge more botanical goodness coming out.

The orgeat syrup is something you can make yourself. Or, you can buy it. It’s sometimes fun and sometimes tedious to make this syrup, but worth it. Also, if you are a baker, the leftover almond bits make a great addition to a cake.

Using egg white in your cocktail is optional. This is what creates the foamy head of a sour drink. Will you take a sip and think to yourself that you are risking salmonella? Perhaps. Will you take a sip and taste raw egg? Nope.