Cocktail family · 6 riffs
Whiskey Sour and Sour Variations
A sour is spirit, citrus and sugar in balance, shaken cold. The Whiskey Sour is the best known of them, and with a good bourbon and fresh lemon it’s hard to beat. Egg white is optional; it gives you a silky top. Change the sweetener to honey or maple, or switch the base to gin, and you have most of the drinks in this family.
The classic spec · IBA
Whiskey Sour
- Glass
- Old fashioned glass
- Method
- Shaken
Ingredients
- 1½ oz (45 ml) bourbon
- ¾ oz (25 ml) fresh lemon juice
- ⅔ oz (20 ml) simple (sugar) syrup
- ⅔ oz (20 ml) egg white (optional)
Steps
- If using egg white, shake everything once without ice first (a dry shake).
- Add ice and shake hard.
- Strain into an old fashioned glass over ice.
- Garnish with half an orange wheel and a maraschino cherry.
The full Whiskey Sour recipe: why it works, swaps and questions →
