A savory blend of bitter, sweet and sour flavors, the classic Whiskey Sour is sure to satisfy.
I’ve written of it before, but since tonight’s beverage is the Whiskey Sour, I feel like mentioning the tale of the very first cocktail I ever ordered at a bar.
I was in college and maybe a year or so shy of being legally allowed to drink alcohol. But those were simpler days, as people like to say, so a bunch of us piled into our friend’s car one night and drove into town. We ended up at an Irish pub. Low light, a good jukebox, and a friendly barkeep invited us in to relax and have a few.
When it was my turn to order, I went with a Whiskey Sour. Why? For starters, I remember not wanting to have a difficult time downing any hard stuff. Since I didn’t really like beer back then, and my only frame of reference for anything was from watching movies, I went with something I had probably heard of in some random film.
I wasn’t disappointed. It’s a favorite cocktail of mine to this day. When you get some good whiskey, and the right amount of lemon juice and simple syrup, you’ll shake yourself up a nice, cold and foamy tipple. A perfect meld of tart and sweet flavors with a smooth, spicy bite. You can also add some egg white in the shaker and get a creamy, frothy white top that adds a silky texture to each sip.
First appearing in a Wisconsin newspaper in 1870, the Whiskey Sour became a barroom icon and regular menu item the world over. Sure, you can mix one up with a store-bought premade sour mix, but where’s the fun in that? The simple recipe provided here will keep you shaking savory Whiskey Sours for your friends all night long.
What is a Sour?
A Sour is your preferred base spirit, fresh lemon juice and simple syrup, shaken up over ice and served on the rocks. Sour and sweet flavors come together for a completely satisfying dram.
What is the best Whiskey to use in a whiskey Sour?
What’s a good whiskey? There’s plenty, so don’t worry too much if you’re staring at a bunch of bottles at the store, unsure of what to get. For a Whiskey Sour, an American distilled spirit tends to work best. Something like Jack Daniels, with its sweetness and bite, mixes great with the citrus and simple syrup. Don’t overthink it, go with what you know or what you think looks good, and fits your budget.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces bourbon or any whiskey
- 3/4 ounce fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 ounce simple syrup
- 1 egg white optional
- Angostura bitters, lemon wheel, and/or maraschino cherry for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, combine whiskey, lemon juice, simple syrup, and egg white (if desired).
- Shake the mixture vigorously without ice for 15-20 seconds to blend the egg white and achieve a frothy consistency.
- Add ice to the cocktail shaker and shake once more for another 15-20 seconds to cool the beverage.
- Strain the mixture into a rocks glass filled with new ice. Garnish with a lemon slice and/or maraschino cherry. Optionally add drops of Angostura bitters to the foam and use a toothpick to make a pattern.
Nutrition
What kind of glass and garnish is used?
A rocks glass filled with ice will keep your Whiskey Sour looking and tasting cool. Garnish with a maraschino cherry for that colorful pop of red.
Is egg white a necessary ingredient?
Egg whites are completely optional, but definitely try it in your next Sour. Just dry shake with the other ingredients for about 15 seconds before adding the ice.
Whiskey Sour Variations
The best part about tonight’s cocktail is that you can swap out the base spirit for just about any other, and you’ll have yourself a different and distinct tasting Sour. Twist & Toast has a pretty nifty collection of Sour recipes for you to try out, as well as a treasure trove of others.
Bourbon Sour – Smoky, smooth and of course, sour.
Tequila Sour – A Southwestern spin on the stalwart mixture.
Vodka Sour – Crisp, bright and with a great bite.
Gin Sour – A fresh botanical-forward spin on the classic concoction.
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