Whiskey Sour

This whiskey sour recipe strikes the perfect chord between sweet, tart and boozy. Traditionally made with bourbon, lemon juice, simple syrup and egg whites (for a frothy top!), it’s a lip-smackingly good cocktail that has stood the test of time. It’s one of those classic bourbon cocktails you’ll want to sip any time, any place, any season.

A proper whiskey sour doesn’t use sour mix, which is primarily made of high-fructose corn syrup and citric acid. The term “sour” generally refers to any drink with citrus, but a true sour requires a delicate balance of spirit, citrus and sugar. The first whiskey sour recipe was published in 1862, and was followed by numerous variations and riffs. Originally a sailor’s concoction of whiskey and lemon, the drink helped prevent scurvy on long sea voyages. Sugar soon entered the picture to smooth out the acid and boozy flavor. Then came the egg—a much later addition, but one that’s synonymous with the drink today.

Do you need egg white for a whiskey sour?

You will still have a delicious drink if you skip the egg in a whiskey sour. But let’s talk about why you add egg white to a whiskey sour to begin with. While egg whites don’t add flavor, they add texture and work to unify very different flavors as their proteins break down in the shaker. Egg whites, when shaken, make super frothy, meringue-like foam (resulting from the incorporation of air bubbles) that sits on top of the cocktail. Fun fact: The pisco sour was the only drink to call for egg whites before the end of prohibition in 1933, so it’s actually a relatively modern addition!

Whiskey Sour Ingredients

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• Bourbon whiskey: Known for its caramel sweetness, bourbon provides contrast to the tart lemon. Evan Williams, Maker’s Mark and Knob Creek are some of the best whiskey brands, and are a great place to start when mixing up this drink. Rye whiskey can also be used when making a whiskey sour, though bourbon is much more common.
• Fresh lemon juice: The fresher the juice, the more complex your cocktail. There are fun and easy ways to juice a lemon, but if you opt for bottled juice, make sure it doesn’t contain artificial sweeteners or other ingredients.
• Simple syrup: Equal parts sugar and water, heated until the sugar dissolves, is a concoction that lives up to its name: simple syrup. Make a little extra and keep it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four weeks.
• Pasteurized liquid egg whites: There are some things to know about egg whites in cocktails. First, if you crack an egg and separate the yolk, you will have about an ounce and a half of liquid, which is way too much for one cocktail. Second, it’s hard to divide egg whites. The solution is to use store-bought, pourable egg whites. They’re easy to measure and they’re pasteurized, so you aren’t risking illness.
• Garnishes: A traditional orange wedge spiked with a cherry brings a colorful and fragrant final touch to our whiskey sour. Bright-red maraschino cherries are fine, but if you treat yourself to delicious Luxardo cherries, you won’t be disappointed.

Directions

Step 1: Make a whiskey sour without egg whites

Fill a shaker three-fourths full with ice. Add the bourbon, lemon juice and simple syrup. Cover and shake until condensation forms on the outside of the shaker, a good 10 to 15 seconds. Strain everything into a chilled rocks glass.

Editor’s Tip: You might consider using 3/4 ounce of lemon juice and simple syrup if you don’t use egg white to keep the same volume.

Step 2: Make a whiskey sour with egg whites

To include egg whites, place the bourbon, lemon juice, simple syrup and egg whites in a cocktail shaker. Cover and shake until everything is well combined. Then, fill the shaker with ice, cover it, and shake until condensation forms outside the shaker for 10 to 15 seconds. Strain your cocktail into a chilled rocks glass.

Editor’s Tip: When shaking a cocktail without ice (known as “dry shaking”), you’ll want to shake longer than you might think you need to. Really work those arm muscles! The protein in the egg white needs about 30 seconds to break down and combine with the other ingredients. Don’t skip this step if you want that fantastic froth.

Step 3: Garnish and serve

Add your orange wedge and cherry if so desired.

Editor’s Tip: To chill your cocktail glass, fill it with ice before shaking the whiskey sour ingredients. Then, dump the ice before pouring the cocktail into the glass. If you want to serve your whiskey sour over ice, use one giant ice cube, which takes longer to melt and won’t dilute your cocktail.

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Recipe Variations

• Use honey instead of sugar: I love a Gold Rush. It’s like a whiskey sour without the egg, made with honey syrup instead of sugar simple syrup. Made with one part honey and one part water, honey syrup adds a sweet, warm note to the drink.
• Add a wine float: After making a whiskey sour without egg whites, turn it into a New York sour by pouring the drink into a rocks glass and adding a float of red wine on the top. Pour a small amount over the back of a bar spoon so it stays at the top. This cocktail tastes shockingly delicious.
• Garnish with bitters: Instead of fruit, try using an eyedropper to make three dots of Angostura bitters across the surface of the foam at the top of the glass. Run a toothpick through the drops to make a pretty pattern.

Can you make whiskey sours ahead of time?

If you make a whiskey sour with egg whites, you must make it fresh every time; otherwise, the ingredients separate, the foam won’t froth, and the cocktail will generally disappoint. Instead, combine bourbon, lemon juice and simple syrup in a big pitcher, stir them well and serve the mixture over ice like a very adult lemonade. Be sure to scale up the recipe and stick to the ratio so your flavors stay balanced. Covered in an airtight container, your batch of whiskey sours can last up to 24 hours in the fridge.

Whiskey Sour Recipe Tips

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What type of glass do you use for a whiskey sour?

There are several cocktail glasses you can use for a whiskey sour. Serving it in a rocks glass over ice is the most classic version. A rocks glass is a short, squat glass, sometimes called a double old-fashioned glass because it’s twice the size of a standard old-fashioned glass. Freeze a few big, square, clear ice cubes for whiskey sour cocktails in rocks glasses to keep the drink cold longer. If you used egg white, the other option is to serve it in a coupe without ice to show off the beautiful, frothy meringue layer on the top of the drink.

What’s the best whiskey for whiskey sour?

Bourbon’s vanilla and toasted caramel flavors meld magically with sweetened lemon, which is why it’s the best for a whiskey sour. What’s the real difference between bourbon and whiskey? To be called a bourbon, the whiskey must be made in the U.S. from at least 51% corn-based spirits. It’s aged in new oak barrels and should have a minimum ABV (alcohol by volume) of 40%. Rye is another one of the types of whiskey; it adds a spicier flair to whiskey sours if you lean less sweet in your cocktails.

What can you serve with a whiskey sour?

Whiskey sours can do it all. This cocktail is light enough to complement a fresh Caprese salad, but the whiskey has enough depth to stand up to a savory main course like garlic-grilled steaks. Pair it with aged cheddar or Gouda on your favorite charcuterie board for a night in front of Netflix. Packing the perfect picnic? Make the egg-less version of the recipe and pour it into a big thermos to sip with focaccia sandwiches.