Amber Moon Recipe: Whiskey, Raw Egg and Tabasco

Ingredients

1 egg very fresh, from a trusted source; yolk kept whole
1½ oz whiskey bourbon or ryee.g. Jack Daniel's · Jameson · Jim Beam · Maker's Mark · Bulleit
3 dash sauce to taste

Garnish: None: the whole yolk is the "moon" · Ice: Served up, no ice

Method

Crack the egg carefully into a small rocks glass, keeping the yolk intact.
Pour the whiskey slowly down the side of the glass so the yolk stays whole.
Add the Tabasco on top, or serve it on the side so the drinker can season it.
Drink it in one go, or leave it if raw egg is not your thing.

Watch it made

Amber Moon

Taste

Rich and silky from the egg, warming from the whiskey and sharp with vinegar heat from the Tabasco. Intense and savoury rather than sweet.

History and origin

The Amber Moon belongs to an old family of raw egg "pick-me-ups", savoury morning drinks such as the Prairie Oyster that combine a whole egg or yolk with seasoning and sometimes spirits. Such drinks were traditionally offered as supposed hangover remedies, although there is no evidence that they actually help.

Who first named the whiskey version Amber Moon is not recorded, and claims about its age vary. The name clearly describes the look of the drink: the whole yolk glowing inside amber whiskey. It remains a curiosity today, ordered more for the story and the challenge than for everyday drinking.

Bartender tips

Use only very fresh eggs from a reliable source, ideally pasteurised in the shell, and skip this drink for anyone pregnant, very young, elderly or with a weakened immune system.
A spicy rye whiskey works well against the richness of the egg.
For a more savoury version, add a pinch of salt and a dash of Worcestershire sauce, as in a Prairie Oyster.

Variations

Prairie Oyster: An alcohol-free relative: a whole egg yolk with Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, salt and pepper.
Vodka Amber Moon: Some recipes use vodka instead of whiskey for a cleaner, less warming version.