Chirulín

Tatiana Flores | Lima, Peru

Chirulin Pisco Sour Recipe

A centuries-old pisco-based cocktail, the Chirulín combines pisco, pomelo and cinnamon-spiced simple syrup, served on the rocks with a pomelo wedge and cinnamon stick. At its birthplace of El Ingenio, generations of Afro-descendant Peruvians have batched it in jarras, and sipped it from communal cups. In Lima, Tatiana Flores’ shaken version swaps pomelo for grapefruit and adds lime juice to increase acidity, which appeals to fans of sours like the Paloma, Brown Derby or Greyhound.

Ingredients

Serving: 1

  • 2 ounces acholado pisco
  • 2 ounces acholado pisco
  • 1 1/2 ounces pink grapefruit juice
  • 1 1/2 ounces pink grapefruit juice
  • 1/2 ounce cinnamon rich simple syrup (see Editor’s Note)
  • 1/2 ounce cinnamon rich simple syrup (see Editor’s Note)
  • 1/4 ounce lime juice
  • 1/4 ounce lime juice

Garnish: grapefruit wedge, Ceylon cinnamon stick

Directions
  1. Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker with ice and shake hard until chilled.
  2. Strain into a rocks glass with ice.
  3. Garnish with a grapefruit wedge and a cinnamon stick.
Editor's Note

Cinnamon Rich Simple Syrup
1 cup water
10 grams Ceylon cinnamon sticks
2 cups Demerara sugar

Add the water and cinnamon to a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and add the Demerara sugar, then stir to dissolve. Remove from heat, cover and let steep until cool. Strain the syrup into a resealable container and reserve the cinnamon sticks for garnish. Keeps, refrigerated, for up to 2 weeks.