Looking at the recipe, you’d think the Expat was a weathered classic from the annals of cocktail history, the Platonic ideal of a bourbon-lime sour.
Surprise – the Expat is a recent invention, from Lauren Schell at Little Branch in Manhattan circa 2009, named after she’d moved overseas.
It’s a brilliant, necessary addition to the sour pantheon – bourbon and lime is a natural combination, and a fresh alternative to lemon in your typical sour.
Schell calls for a mint leaf garnish. While it’s not strictly necessary, it adds a bright, living flavor to the drink and we highly recommend it.
The original recipe goes with Angostura bitters, but we’ve also tried it with peach bitters and found it quite delicious. Lime bitters are lovely in it, too.
