At my home bar, there’s only one bottle truly worthy of the title “secret weapon.” To earn the moniker, an ingredient must be able to easily improve a variety of cocktails—especially if its addition is unexpected. Leopold Bros.’ Sour Lime Cordial ticks those boxes and then some.
From one of the most exciting distillers in the country, this 80-proof liqueur reads more like an eau de vie, thanks to its intensity of flavor and aroma. Persian limes sourced from the coast of Veracruz, Mexico, drive the taste, while a small measure of cane sugar is offset by lactic acid for a tart finish. It’s delicious on its own—even just smelling it is a treat—but it shines especially bright in cocktails alongside, or even in lieu of, fresh lime juice.
One of my favorite applications to date is in a Gimlet, where a quarter-ounce of the cordial brings fragrant, floral notes—the kind you’d get from lime peel oils—and extra body to the familiar template. It’s like if Rose’s Sweetened Lime Juice were 40 percent ABV, and actually good.
This isn’t one of those bottles that sit on the bar cart collecting dust, only occasionally being dispensed by dash. A half-ounce can also punch up a G&T, add some acidity to a Negroni, liven up a lager or even a Spindrift (seriously). The possibilities are limited only by your imagination.
