ThirstyforKnowledge

An encyclopedia of drinks — mixed, poured, brewed and whisked

No. 021 Cocktails · Whisky & whiskey

Whiskey Sour

Bourbon, lemon and sugar syrup shaken, with optional egg white for a soft foam.

A Whiskey Sour on the rocks garnished with orange slice and cherry
A Whiskey Sour on the rocks Photo: Martin Asche, CC BY-SA 3.0

Recipe card

ml oz

Makes 1 drink · about 4 min to make

Ingredients

Ounces are US fluid ounces (29.57 ml), rounded.

Method

  1. Pour all the ingredients into a cocktail shaker filled with ice and shake well (shake a little harder if using egg white, to build the foam).
  2. Strain into a cobbler glass, or into an old fashioned glass filled with ice if serving on the rocks.
  3. Garnish with half an orange slice and a maraschino cherry.
Glass
Cobbler glass, or an old fashioned glass with ice
Garnish
Half orange slice and a maraschino cherry (or orange zest)
Technique
Shaken
Difficulty
Takes practice

Printable recipe card Quantities as given in the IBA's official specification.

About the Whiskey Sour

A balance of sweet and sour around bourbon. Add a few drops of egg white and shake harder for a silky foam, or leave it out for a brisker drink.

Serve straight up in a cobbler glass, or on the rocks in an old fashioned glass.

Tags: sour whiskey egg white (optional)

Go deeper

Sources

  1. IBA — Whiskey Sour (official specification)
  2. Wikipedia — Whiskey sour

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