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Cocktail History
The Whiskey Sour is a classic cocktail that was first published in The Bartender’s Guide by Jerry Thomas in 1862. It’s a simple drink that is traditionally made with bourbon, citrus, simple syrup, bitters, egg white, and cherries, which has become a go-to template for modern cocktail variations.
Cocktail Ingredients
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:
Bourbon: This is a type of whiskey made in the United States with at least 51% corn, with other grains, water, and yeast, which are distilled and then aged in new charred oak barrels to develop a rich, caramelized flavor.
Lemon Juice: This is the liquid extracted from the flesh of ripe lemons that has a sweet, tangy flavor and light yellow color.
Simple Syrup: This is a sweetener made with white sugar and water, which are heated into a syrup with a sweet flavor.
Orange Bitters: This is a concentrated flavoring made with orange peels, herbs, spices, botanicals, and distilled alcohol, which are macerated or steeped to develop a slightly bitter citrus flavor.
Egg White: This is the clear portion of an egg that’s separated from the yolk and used to add frothy texture to cocktails.
Brandied Cherry: This is a type of stone fruit made by soaking maraschino cherries in brandy, water, and spices to make a rich, fruity syrup.
Bartending Tools
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following bar tools:
Jigger: This is used to measure and pour ingredients. I used the Japanese jigger from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.
Boston Shaker: This is used to shake ingredients. I used the Boston shaker from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.
Hawthorne Strainer: This is used to strain out ice and solid ingredients after the cocktail is shaken. I used the A Bar Above Hawthorne Strainer.
Paring Knife: This is used to cut ingredients. I used the OXO Good Grips 3.5 Inch Paring Knife.
Juicer: This is used to juice citrus. I used the ALEEHAI Manual Fruit Juicer.
Cocktail Pick: This is used to hold the garnish. I used one from the KingSeal Bamboo Knot Cocktail Pick Set.
Tasting Notes
This cocktail has the following flavor profile:
• Appearance: Golden yellow color with a frothy top
• Aroma: Citrus and spices
• Taste: Bright and tangy citrus flavor intermingled with spicy bourbon notes
• Finish: More lemon and frothy egg mouthfeel
Kendall’s Take: “The recipe I found in the book for the Whiskey Sour was slightly different than the one I’m sharing. I went with the classic specifications instead and made it with one of my favorite whiskeys. That made it much more to my liking, and although it’s tasty as is, again I found myself wanting to dress up this simple template with more complexity.”
Recipe
This cocktail recipe was adapted from The Essential Cocktail Book: A Complete Guide to Modern Drinks by the editors of PUNCH and Megan Krigbaum.
Whiskey Sour
Description
The Whiskey Sour is a classic cocktail that was first published in The Bartender's Guide by Jerry Thomas in 1862. It's a simple drink that is traditionally made with bourbon, citrus, simple syrup, bitters, egg white, and cherries, which has become a go-to template for modern cocktail variations.
Ingredients
Method
Add bourbon, simple syrup, orange bitters, and lemon juice to a shaker.
Fill shaker with cubed ice.
Shake for 10-20 seconds.
Using tongs, remove ice from shaker.
Dry shake for 5-10 more seconds to emulsify egg.
Using a Hawthorne strainer, strain into a sour glass.
Garnish with brandied cherry.
