Aguaymanto Sour

The aguaymanto sour belongs to the modern wave of fruit-based pisco sours rather than to a single documented origin. Aguaymanto (Physalis peruviana), native to the Andes and cultivated since pre-Hispanic times, has surged in popularity as a 'superfruit' and found its way into jams, desserts and cocktails; pairing its tartness with pisco was a natural extension of the sour template. It sits alongside the maracuyá sour and other fruit variants in Peru's contemporary bar repertoire.

Bright orange-gold beneath a pale, fine foam, dotted with bitters. The nose is sweet-tart and faintly tomato-floral, distinct from citrus. The sip is fruity and sharp, the golden berry's bracing acidity carried by syrup, the pisco's grape warmth running underneath. Egg white gives the familiar silken, creamy mouthfeel. Vivid, fragrant and a touch exotic.

Made on the pisco-sour method: a dry shake without ice first denatures and aerates the egg-white proteins into a stable foam — adding ice too early would chill the proteins and weaken it. Then ice is added and the drink shaken hard to chill and dilute, before straining into a chilled coupe. Aguaymanto's own acidity replaces the lime, so the syrup is balanced to the fruit; thicker pulp can be strained for a smoother pour.