Whiskey Sour

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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.

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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, grains, malted barley, and water. I used Elijah Craig Bourbon.

Lemon Juice: This is the liquid juice of a lemon. I used freshly squeezed lemon juice.

Simple Syrup: This is a sweetener made with white sugar and water. I used this stovetop recipe.

Orange Bitters: This is a food product made with oranges, botanicals, herbs, and alcohol. I used Angostura Orange Bitters.

Egg White: This is the clear liquid in an egg. I used fresh egg whites.

Cherry: This is a fruit that has been soaked in brandy and rich syrup. I used Luxardo Maraschino Cherries.

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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.

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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 Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

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."

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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.