Whiskey Sour is a simple and sophisticated cocktail made with bourbon, lemon juice, and simple syrup. It’s a beautiful classic cocktail that shows of your favorite whiskey bourbon with a perfect balance of sweet and sour flavors. You can make whiskey sour with egg white for a smooth and silky finish or leave off the egg white.
WHISKEY SOUR
“Too much of anything is bad, but too much good whiskey is barely enough.” – Mark Twain
“Happiness is having a rare steak, a bottle of whisky, and a dog to eat the rare steak.” – Johnny Carson
My husband has recently discovered his hidden love for bourbon. I say “hidden” because he didn’t discover that he actually enjoys it until he was 40. On one of our date nights, I encouraged him to try something difference since he always ordered the same drink. He decided to go with something completely different to him and ordered a bourbon cocktail. That was the first of many.
Now I find myself learning more and more about whiskey (cocktails) and testing out flavor combinations. When I was bartering, we had to follow specs and that didn’t leave much room for creativity. (At least that’s the way it was in my bar.) At home though, I can play around with alcohol amounts in each cocktail to come up with the best tasting results. And trust me, I’ve been playing around with whiskey sour cocktails quite a bit!
I found that the best results come from having the best bourbon whiskey, fresh lemon juice, and just a little squeeze of fresh orange juice. If you can get your hands on a Mayer lemon, that will be perfect in a whiskey sour.
INGREDIENTS IN WHISKEY SOUR
Bourbon whiskey – most whiskey sour cocktails are made with bourbon. It’s has a sweeter flavor profile and balances very nicely with the sourness of fresh lemon juice. You can always use your preferred whiskey though. Remember: your cocktails is as good as your alcohol of choice, so choose the one you like the best.
Fresh lemon juice – I highly recommend that you get lemons and squeeze out fresh lemon juice instead of pre-bottled one. Mayer lemons are amazing in this cocktail. (In my experience, bottled lemon juice is too tart and sour from being processed and sitting on store’s shelves for a long time.)
Simple syrup – if you make cocktails often, make a large batch of simple syrup and keep it in the refrigerator. I make my simple syrup in 1:1 ratio of sugar and water. Simple syrup should last up to a month in the refrigerator.
*Egg White – egg whites make this cocktail smooth and frothy, plus it helps balance out the tartness of the fresh lemon juice. People either love egg white in a whiskey sour or they can’t stand the thought of the raw egg. If you’re on the fence about the raw egg, you can get small organic pasteurized eggs or get pasteurized egg whites in a carton and use about a tablespoon per cocktail.
*Raw Egg Warning: Consuming raw or under-cooked eggs may increase your risk of food-borne illness.
IS BOURBON GLUTEN FREE
This, unfortunately, is not a clear cut yes or no answer. Many bourbon and whiskey brands state that their product is gluten free sue to a distillation process but some people with gluten sensitivity still report having reactions. It highly depends on the type of whiskey you are looking for and the brand. Whiskey is a type of liquor that probably has the most laws associated with it. There are laws about the ingredients and the process of making whiskey.
Whisky is a type of distilled alcoholic beverage made from various fermented grains like barley, corn, rye, and wheat. Different types of whiskey uses different combinations and amounts of grains, and each type also has a different distillation method. Your best bet when deciding to buy whiskey that is gluten free, is to check the brand’s website. Many brands have this information in their Q&A section or nutritional information.
TIP: I found a website that organizes gluten free alcohol and food very well and they do it by brands as well. So you can check out this website to see if they covered your brand of whiskey or you can always go to the brand website and check their Q&A section.
HOW TO MAKE IT
You can serve this cocktail straight or on the rocks. If you plan to serve it straight, chill the glasses first.
Use a vegetables peeler to peel the outer layer of the orange, without the white rind, and twist it tight to squeeze the natural oils from the orange. Rub the orange twist over the rim of the glass.
Combine fresh squeezed lemon juice, simple syrup, splash of fresh orange juice, and bourbon in a cocktail shaker. Add a few ice cubes and shake vigorously.
Add a few ice cubes to the glass if desired, pour the cocktail into the glass through a strainer, and enjoy.
HOW TO MAKE WHISKEY SOUR WITH EGG WHITES
Whiskey sour made with egg white can also be serve over rocks or straight. If you plan to serve it straight, chill the glasses first.
You can use an orange twist or a cocktail cherry to garnish this cocktail.
Combine fresh squeezed lemon juice, simple syrup, splash of fresh orange juice, and bourbon in a cocktail shaker. Crack a small egg and add egg white* only to the cocktail shaker. Discard the egg yolk. Note: you can also use pasteurized egg whites from a carton and use about a tablespoon and per cocktail.
Add a few ice cubes and shake vigorously for about 30-40 seconds.
Add a few ice cubes to the glass if desired, pour the cocktail into the glass through a strainer, and enjoy.
*Raw Egg Warning: Consuming raw or under-cooked eggs may increase your risk of food-borne illness.
SOME VARIATIONS
John Collins – essentially a whiskey sour with soda water.
New York Sour – a whiskey sour with about an ounce of red wine floater on top.
Scotch Sour – substitute whiskey with your favorite Scotch.
Ginger Whiskey Sour – add about 3 ounces of ginger beer to the whiskey sour.
Amaretto Sour – substitute whiskey for amaretto. You can use egg white in this recipe as well or leave it out.
MORE COCKTAIL RECIPES TO TRY
If you made any of my recipes and shared them on Instagram, make sure to tag me @willcookforsmiles and #willcookforsmiles so I can see all the things you tried!
Connect with Will Cook For Smiles!
Be sure to click below and follow me on my social media, so you never miss a recipe.
Don’t forget to sign up for email, so you won’t miss any new recipes.
Whiskey Sour
Ingredients
- 2 oz bourbon whiskey
- 1 oz fresh lemon juice about 1/2 lemon
- 1 oz simple syrup
- 1 tsp fresh orange juice
- 2 drops orange bitters optional**
Instructions
- You can serve this cocktail straight or on the rocks. Chill the glasses first if you will be serving the cocktail straight.
- Use a vegetables peeler to peel the outer skin of the orange, without the white rind, and twist it tight to squeeze the natural oils from the orange. Rub the orange twist over the rim of the glass.`
- Combine fresh squeezed lemon juice, simple syrup, splash of fresh orange juice, and bourbon in a cocktail shaker. Add a few ice cubes and shake vigorously.**Optional: add 2 drops of orange bitters to the cocktail shaker.
- Add a few ice cubes to the glass if desired, pour the cocktail into the glass through a strainer, and enjoy.
Notes
Nutrition
Whiskey Sour with Egg White
Ingredients
- 2 oz bourbon whiskey
- 1 oz fresh squeezed lemon juice about 1/2 lemon
- 1 oz simple syrup
- 1 tsp fresh orange juice
- 1/2 oz egg white* can also use 1/2 oz pasteurized egg whites from a carton
Instructions
- Combine fresh squeezed lemon juice, simple syrup, splash of fresh orange juice, and bourbon in a cocktail shaker.
- Crack a small egg and add egg white* only to the cocktail shaker. Discard the egg yolk. Note: you can also use pasteurized egg whites from a carton and use about a tablespoon and per cocktail.
- Add a few ice cubes and shake vigorously for about 30-40 seconds.
- Add a few ice cubes to the glass if desired and pour the cocktail into the glass through a strainer.
- You can use an orange twist or a cocktail cherry to garnish this cocktail.
Notes
Nutrition
Barbara says
This is so much better than the bottled mixes!