A Sour is not so much a drink as it is a concept. Lemon or lime juice, almost any liquor, and sugar—in proper proportion—form a Sour. Don’t even think about using a packaged mix for this cocktail. A simple but magical blend, the Sour was first made with brandy in the middle of the 19th century. Bartenders have flirted with and still have their occasional flings with numerous other base alcohols, but whiskey was the liquor of choice by the end of the 19th century, with rye on equal footing with bourbon. Bourbon is still favored by many, but blended whiskeys and Scotch have jockeyed for position. Add a dash of grenadine to a Whiskey Sour, and you have the sophisticated Ward Eight.

Always prepare Sours fresh. Here is a foolproof rule of thumb for making a perfect Sour every time: Mix 2 ounces of your chosen spirit with 1 teaspoon sugar and 3/4 ounce lemon or lime juice (the “sour” flavor), and shake with cracked ice. Substitute lime juice for lemon in a Scotch Sour. Shake a Sour well for a truly frothy drink, and serve it straight up in a cocktail glass, over the rocks in a hefty Old Fashioned glass, or in a Sour glass. Garnish with any assortment of seasonally fresh fruit.

The whiskey sour is one of the best classic cocktails. It’s easy to make, and the recipe is the base for the entire family of sour drinks. There are also a variety of adjustments you can make to ensure it suits your taste perfectly.

The Whiskey Sour

As the name suggests, this cocktail is sour. The flavor is balanced and complemented by the sweetness of the whiskey and simple syrup, so it's not as tart as you might think. Try it with the ratio suggested in the recipe, give it a taste, and then adjust your next drink as needed.

The whiskey sour is such a popular drink recipe that it has its own holiday. If you need a reason to mix one up, National Whiskey Sour Day is August 25.

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Prep Time 3 minutes mins

Total Time 3 minutes mins

Course Cocktail, Drinks

Cuisine American

Servings 1 drink

Calories 180 kcal

Equipment

• A rocks glass
• Shaker

Ingredients

  

• Ice
• 2 oz whiskey
• .75 oz lemon juice
• .75 oz simple syrup
• Orange slice and/or cherry for garnish
• Optional: one pasteurized egg white

Instructions

 

• Remember how to make syrup? Just use equal parts warm water and white sugar, then stir until the sugar is dissolved. Now that you’ve done that (and let your syrup cool), add .75 ounce to your shaker.
• Once again, we’d like to emphasize the importance of fresh-squeezed juice. It’ll make a world of difference in every cocktail that calls for juice, and it isn’t hard to make. Now, squeeze at least one lemon. That should give you about 2 ounces of lemon juice. Put .75 of those ounces into your shaker.
• Could you use rye here? Sure, why not? But bourbon is traditional, and we prefer it. So take two ounces of your bourbon, and pour it into your shaker.
• For a Whiskey Sour especially, a strong shake is key. So grab that shaker, and have at it. You want those ice cubes bouncing from end to end, making a sound like Fred Astaire in a shipping container. (Disclaimer: don’t know what that sounds like.) Once you finish, pour your drink over ice in a rocks glass. If you shook hard enough, it should have a thick layer of foam on top (and, if you want, you can decorate that foam with a dash of bitters). Next, stick an orange slice and/or a quality preserved cherry on top for garnish, and you have a cocktail that will force people to acknowledge the power of both you and the Whiskey Sour.

Notes

if you’d Like to add an egg white

Yes, you can put egg whites in cocktails. No, it’s not gross. In fact, an egg white gives your cocktail a nice creamy texture – which is especially great for Whiskey Sours. Just add your egg white to your shaker first, then pour in every other ingredient, and give everything a 12-second “dry shake.” That’s just a strong shake without any ice, to get everything airy and integrated. Once you’ve done that, do a second, normal shake with ice, and enjoy your supernaturally fluffy cocktail. (For peace of mind, use either pasteurized eggs or a 1-ounce pour from a carton of pasteurized egg whites.)

Keyword American, Cocktails, Whiskey, Whiskey Sour

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