How to Make the Perfect Whiskey Sour

Whilst the Whiskey Sour cocktail is thought to have originated in the United States (there is a mention of it in a Wisconsin newspaper in 1870); there is no doubt that it is the perfect drink for Whiskey lovers around the world.

But what exactly is a Whiskey Sour and how do you make the perfect one?

Firstly, the ‘traditional’ style is served in a short glass, on the rocks and nobody disputes that this is the way to serve it. Also, nobody argues that lemon juice and sugar are key.

However, one area up for debate is the best style of Whiskey to use. The ‘e’ in Whiskey here is to show that the Whiskey is made in America (and often Bourbon), but should the title of the cocktail be ‘Whisky Sour’ or ’Scotch Sour’ then they would be made using one of the Scottish styles.

The second area of discussion is the dreaded egg white…

Jack Daniels has a recipe that omits the egg –

INGREDIENTS:

– 2 parts Gentleman Jack

– 1 part Lemon Juice

– 1 part Simple Syrup

GARNISH: Cherry & Orange Twist

METHOD: Shake ingredients, serve over ice

GLASS: Rocks

Whereas Jonnie Walker keeps it classic with egg white, but also adds Angostura Bitters

INGREDIENTS:

– 50ml Johnnie Walker Red Label Blended Scotch Whisky 

– 1dash Angostura Bitters

– 25ml Lemon Juice

– 17.5ml Sugar Syrup

– Egg White

GARNISH: Wedge of lemon

METHOD: Fill a shaker with ice. Pour Johnnie Walker Red Label Blended Scotch Whisky, lemon juice, sugar syrup, angostura bitters and egg white into the shaker. Shake until cold. Strain into a glass.

One thing is for certain, if you’re including the egg white – you have to give the cocktail a shake! So get experimenting, and enjoy!