The Tamarind Whiskey Sour

Another drink I discovered in Portland was the Tamarind Whiskey Sour. I had one of these fabulous creatures at Pok Pok, a pretty spectacular Thai joint. Pok Pok (and their sister bar, Whiskey Soda Lounge) specialize in drinking vinegars. Honestly, I don't even really understand what these drinking vinegars are, but they are tasty. Pok Pok has multiple varieties, from apple to honey to tamarind and a bunch in between, and they use these in cocktails. You can buy a bottle of the concentrate and make your own at home. I wasn't able to find a recipe for the Tamarind Whiskey Sour anywhere, so I took a stab at recreating it myself. From the menu, I knew the ingredients were tamarind drinking vinegar, bourbon, palm sugar, and lime. Based on what I have at the house, this is what I came up with:

• 2 oz bourbon (I used Evan Williams)
• 1/2 oz tamarind drinking vinegar concentrate
• 1 1/2 oz soda water
• 3/4 oz fresh lime juice
• 1/2 oz simple syrup (1:1 syrup)

Mix all ingredients in a old-fashioned glass, fill with ice, and serve. I garnished with a slide of lime. Honestly, I can't remember what the real thing tasted like, but this was a pretty tasty facsimile. The lime makes the whole thing refreshing, and while the tamarind isn't overpowering, you can definitely tell it's there. Buy your own drinking vinegars here and try this one yourself. Anyone who knows the real recipe, please let me know! I'd like to know how close I got to the real recipe, considering I did this 2 weeks after my trip. I also have a bottle of Jarritos Tamarind soda that I've been hanging onto to make into a cocktail, and this has given me a little encouragement to take the plunge and try something out.