Simple Whiskey Sour Recipe

Whiskey sour ingredients are as simple as they come: a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, a spoonful of sugar, and plenty of whiskey. For a Boston sour, add an egg white, too.

Paul ClarkeSerious Eats

Whiskey Sour Recipe                           Paul Clarke

It ain't fancy, but that's a big part of its appeal. Because at the end of a long day—scratch that, a long week—you just want a nice, easy drink. The whiskey sour, with the gentle bite of lemon tempered by a whisper of sugar, is a simple, go-to classic for a reason.

Why It Works

• Shaking with ice chills the cocktail without over-dilution.
• Fresh squeezed lemon juice beats sour mix in terms of flavor and aroma.
• Toasted sugar tastes less sweet than plain, with subtle notes of caramel to complement the whiskey.
• Yield:makes 1 cocktail
• Active time:                about 15 seconds
• Total time:about 2 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 ounces whiskey
• 1 ounce fresh-squeezed lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon sugar or toasted sugar
• 1 egg white (optional, to make a Boston sour cocktail)

Directions

1. 1.

Pour ingredients into a cocktail shaker, fill with ice and shake for 10 seconds (if using the egg white, give it a little extra muscle and a little extra time). Strain into a chilled cocktail glass, or into an ice-filled Old Fashioned glass. Garnish with a cherry, a slice of orange, or everything or nothing at all.

Special Equipment                cocktail shaker

Notes

Whiskey sour mix, a commercial combination of citrus juice and sugar, is pasteurized for stability and a far cry from the vibrant flavor of freshly squeezed juice.