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Cocktail History
The Filibuster is a fall cocktail that was created by Erik Adkins at The Slanted Door in San Francisco, California. It is a simple variation of the Whiskey Sour that still uses a spicy whiskey for the base, lemon for balance, and egg white for texture just like the classic, but it swaps out the simple syrup for maple syrup to add an autumn-inspired twist.
Cocktail Ingredients
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:
Rye: This is a type of whiskey made with at least 51% rye grain, malted barley, corn, and water. We used with 45th Parallel Distillery New Richmond Rye because it’s a nicely spiced whiskey. For a mocktail version of this drink, try The Gospel Responsible Rye Non-Alcoholic Whiskey in place of the whiskey.
Lemon Juice: This is the liquid juice of a lemon. We used freshly squeezed lemon juice.
Maple Syrup: This is a syrup made with the sap from maple trees. We used a local maple syrup.
Egg White: This is the clear liquid in an egg. We used fresh egg whites because they add a rich, silky smooth texture.
Aromatic Bitters: This is a food product made with botanicals, herbs, and alcohol. We used Angostura Aromatic Bitters. For a mocktail version of this drink, try All The Bitter Alcohol-Free Aromatic Bitters in place of the aromatic bitters.
Bartending Tools
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following bar tools:
Jigger: This is used to measure and pour ingredients. We used the Japanese jigger from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.
Boston Shaker: This is used to shake ingredients. We used the Boston shaker from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.
Hawthorne Strainer: This is used to strain out ice and solid ingredients after the cocktail is shaken. We used the A Bar Above Hawthorne Strainer.
Paring Knife: This is used to cut citrus into slices or wheels. We used the OXO Good Grips 3.5 Inch Paring Knife.
Juicer: This is used to juice citrus. We used the ALEEHAI Manual Fruit Juicer.
Tasting Notes
The Filibuster starts with warming allspice and rye aromas, has a lemon-balanced flavor featuring the dark sweetness of maple alongside the slight rye whiskey heat, and ends with an aftertaste that has a lingering tart maple finish.
Our Opinion of This Cocktail Recipe: Both of us thought this drink was very tasty! Its components don’t leave much to the imagination, and the Filibuster doesn’t hide any surprises, so it really is a great fall cocktail that anyone is bound to enjoy.
Which of our palates is yours most like?
Find out if your palate is most similar to Alex’s or Kendall’s by answering five questions.
Which of our palates is yours most like?
Find out if your palate is most similar to Alex’s or Kendall’s by answering five questions.
Alex’s Take: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
“This simple Whiskey Sour riff is quite delicious, and kudos to the person who ‘discovered’ it first; its flavor combination is a no-brainer in the sense that countless people have probably made it over the years without even thinking to give it a name. The maple plays well with the whiskey in the same way that it does in a maple Old Fashioned, with lemon adding an airiness and supporting tart flavor; meanwhile, the egg white tops the drink with a gorgeous foam. The bitters are worth mentioning as well, since the aroma and presentation they offer here go so much further than a few simple dashes in the drink would go.”—
Kendall’s Take: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
“This cocktail is really straightforward and tasted exactly as I expected it would. The whiskey is there, and it’s a little sour thanks to the lemon with a touch of maple coming through thanks to the syrup. There wasn’t anything I didn’t like about it because overall it is quite tasty, but there are some other autumn-inspired whiskey cocktails that I love a lot more. I’ll probably choose those over this one, but this is great if you’re just getting used to whiskey drinks as the weather turns chillier!”
Recipe
This cocktail recipe was adapted from The Essential Cocktail Book: A Complete Guide to Modern Drinks by the editors of PUNCH and Megan Krigbaum.
Add whiskey, lemon juice, maple syrup, egg white, and cubed ice to a shaker.
Shake for 10-20 seconds.
Remove ice from shaker.
Dry shake for 5-10 more seconds to emulsify egg.
Strain into a cocktail glass.
Top with bitters.
Drag a toothpick through bitters to create a garland of hearts
Ingredients
Directions
Add whiskey, lemon juice, maple syrup, egg white, and cubed ice to a shaker.
Shake for 10-20 seconds.
Remove ice from shaker.
Dry shake for 5-10 more seconds to emulsify egg.
Strain into a cocktail glass.
Top with bitters.
Drag a toothpick through bitters to create a garland of hearts
Make It a Mocktail: Use The Gospel Responsible Rye Non-Alcoholic Whiskey in place of the whiskey and All The Bitter Alcohol-Free Aromatic Bitters in place of the aromatic bitters to try a booze-free version of this drink.
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More Rye Cocktails
If you like this rye-based cocktail recipe, here are a few others we’ve tried that are similar that you may enjoy:
Brooklyn: A rye cocktail made with dry vermouth, maraschino liqueur, and Amer Picon
American Trilogy: A rye and apple brandy cocktail made with brown sugar syrup, orange bitters, and an orange peel
Midnight Stinger: A rye cocktail made with Fernet-Branca, lemon juice, simple syrup, and mint
Falling Leaves: A rye cocktail made with Amaro Montenegro, toasted fig syrup, chocolate bitters, and an orange slice
This post contains affiliate links, meaning we make a small commission each time you purchase a product using our links. Product images sourced from Amazon Product Advertising API. Amazon affiliate links last updated on 2023-12-07.
