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Whiskey Sour

Bourbon's caramel meets fresh lemon's tartness, with a fine white foam on top.

Home-bar collection version

For one serving

Ingredients

  • Bourbon
    45 ml / 1.52 US fl oz
  • Lemon Juice
    25 ml / 0.85 US fl oz
  • Simple Syrup
    20 ml / 0.68 US fl oz
  • Egg Whiteoptional

    The IBA specifies “a few drops,” to create a layer of foam

    5 ml / 0.17 US fl oz

US fl oz amounts are rounded; use ml for exact measures.

To garnishOrange slice, Cherry

Make it

  1. Pour bourbon, lemon juice, syrup and egg white into a shaker.
  2. Fill with ice and shake hard for about 15 seconds; with egg white, shake harder for finer foam.
  3. Fill an old-fashioned glass with ice and strain the drink into it.
  4. Add half an orange slice and a cherry.

Behind the drink

Jerry Thomas's 1862 bartending guide included sours made with spirits, lemon juice and sugar; the name “Whiskey Sour” appears in an American newspaper by 1870.

Recipe reference

Adapted from the IBA recipe; see the ingredient notes for home-bar adjustments.

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