Ingredients
- .33 oz Canadian Whisky
- .33 oz Apple Schnapps
- .33 oz Cranberry Juice
- 1 Splash(s) Lemonade
Instructions
- Mix Ingredients: In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, add Canadian whisky, apple schnapps, and cranberry juice. Shake well.
- Strain and Serve: Strain into your shot glass, add a splash of lemonade (Sprite), and serve immediately.
Notes
Estimated Nutrition:
Where it came from
The Washington Apple is a 2000s American back-bar shot named for the apple state. Canadian whisky for the soft grain base, sour apple schnapps for the apple flavour, cranberry juice for the colour and the citrus snap, with a splash of lemonade for the lift. The shot version came out of dive bars and chain restaurants in the early 2000s.
It sits in the apple-cocktail shot family with the Apple Martini, the Apple Pie Shot and the Sour Apple Pucker. All four lean on apple-flavoured ingredients for the lead flavour. The Washington Apple separates itself with the Canadian whisky, which delivers a softer base than the vodka or the bourbon used in the other apple cocktails.
Best ordered at a sports bar or a chain restaurant for the apple-cocktail flavour without the slow-sip pace of the Apple Martini. The shot is approachable, sweet-tart and quick; the longer cocktail version is also popular and pours into a rocks glass over ice.
What it tastes like
Sweet sour apple up front, soft Canadian whisky through the middle, sharp cranberry-and-lemon citrus on the finish. Reads like a sweet-tart apple-cocktail in one pull; the lemonade adds a soft fizz lift that the cranberry alone does not deliver.
Around 22 percent ABV in the shot glass once combined. A third ounce of Canadian whisky at 40 percent ABV and a third ounce of sour apple schnapps at 15 percent ABV gives a moderately strong shot; the cranberry juice and lemonade are non-alcoholic and dilute the strength on the palate.
The technique
Combine a third ounce of Canadian whisky, a third ounce of sour apple schnapps and a third ounce of cold cranberry juice in a shaker with ice. Add a splash of cold lemonade. Shake hard for five seconds. Strain into a chilled tall shot glass. Drink in one pull.
The shake is the technique. A stir leaves the shot too separated; a hard five-second shake blends the four ingredients evenly and chills the shot to the right temperature. Use a quality Canadian whisky like Crown Royal and a fresh bottle of sour apple schnapps for the standard build.
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Ingredient Spotlight
The bottles that make or break this drink.
The Canadian whisky
- Use
- Crown Royal, Canadian Club, or any 40 percent ABV blended Canadian whisky.
- Skip
- Bourbon or Scotch. Wrong flavour profile.
- Why
- Canadian whisky is the load-bearing spirit. The soft grain-and-vanilla character bridges the apple and the cranberry without dominating either; bourbon brings too much oak and Scotch brings too much smoke for the apple-cocktail brief.
The sour apple schnapps
- Use
- DeKuyper Sour Apple Pucker or any 15 to 20 percent ABV sour apple liqueur.
- Skip
- Apple liqueur without the sour edge. Wrong sweetness curve.
- Why
- Sour apple schnapps is the apple flavour and the lead character. The sweet-tart profile mimics the green apple at the heart of the cocktail; without the sour edge the shot drinks too sweet and loses its apple-cocktail character.
The cranberry-and-lemonade
- Use
- Cold pure cranberry juice and a splash of cloudy lemonade.
- Skip
- Cranberry juice cocktail or sweetened lemonade. Wrong sweetness curve.
- Why
- The cranberry-and-lemonade combination delivers the citrus snap and the colour. Pure cranberry adds the tart finish; cloudy lemonade adds the soft fizz lift. Sweetened versions of either push the shot too sweet and break the sweet-tart balance.
Three Variations
Three real ways bartenders riff on this drink. Same idea, three different jackets.
The standard build
- Washington Apple Shot, shaken
- A third ounce each of Canadian whisky, sour apple schnapps and cranberry juice, with a splash of lemonade, shaken with ice and strained into a chilled tall shot glass.
The cocktail build
- Washington Apple Cocktail
- Multiply each ingredient by three and serve over ice in a rocks glass. Drinks like a long cocktail; same flavour balance, slower pour.
The frozen build
- Washington Apple, blended
- Combine the same ingredients with crushed ice in a blender. Blend smooth and pour into a hurricane glass. Drinks like a sweet-tart apple slushie.
What if I don't have…
Quick substitutions for when the bottle shop is closed.
A soft blended Scotch like Famous Grouse or a young rye whiskey. Different flavour but holds the soft-grain character.
Apple cider plus a small splash of lemon juice. Loses the schnapps body, holds the sweet-tart apple character.
Pomegranate juice as a substitute. Different flavour but holds the colour and the citrus snap.
Soda water plus a teaspoon of simple syrup. Drier finish but holds the fizz lift.
Frequently Asked Questions
Direct answers to what people search for after Googling this drink.
What is in a Washington Apple shot?
A third ounce each of Canadian whisky, sour apple schnapps and cranberry juice, with a splash of lemonade, shaken with ice and strained into a chilled tall shot glass.
Why is it called Washington Apple?
Named for Washington State, the largest apple-producing state in the United States. The sour apple schnapps is the lead flavour and the name connection; the shot is a back-bar tribute to the apple state.
How strong is a Washington Apple shot?
Around 22 percent ABV in the shot glass once combined. A third ounce of Canadian whisky and a third ounce of sour apple schnapps gives a moderately strong shot; the cranberry juice and lemonade dilute the strength on the palate.
What does it taste like?
Sweet sour apple up front, soft Canadian whisky through the middle, sharp cranberry-and-lemon citrus on the finish. Reads like a sweet-tart apple-cocktail compressed into one pull.
Should I shake or stir?
Shake. A hard five-second shake blends the four ingredients evenly and chills the shot to the right temperature; a stir leaves the shot too separated and the flavours do not blend properly.
Can I drink it as a cocktail instead of a shot?
Yes. Multiply the ingredients by three and serve over ice in a rocks glass for the cocktail version. Same flavour balance, slower pour.
What is the best Canadian whisky?
Crown Royal is the standard pour and the most widely available; Canadian Club is the budget alternative. Both work for the shot; the soft grain character is the key feature.
What other apple cocktails are similar?
An Apple Martini, an Apple Pie Shot, a Sour Apple Pucker shot and a Caramel Apple Martini. All four lean on apple-flavoured ingredients and sit in the sweet-tart cocktail family.
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