Whiskey Sour Drink Recipe

A classic whiskey sour is made with bourbon or whiskey, fresh lemon juice and simple syrup. That simple combination gives you the perfect mix of warm whiskey balanced with bright citrus and just enough sweetness.

For this recipe we also add a little Angostura bitters for extra depth and give you the option of egg white or aquafaba if you want that beautiful frothy top. The egg white doesn't change the basic character of the drink. It simply makes it smoother, silkier and more velvety.

No you don't need egg white to make a delicious whiskey sour. The drink will still taste bright, fresh and balanced without it. Egg white is mainly there for texture and appearance. It gives the drink a smooth silky feel and creates the thick frothy layer that makes a whiskey sour drink look so impressive.

If you would rather not use raw egg, aquafaba works very well as an alternative. If you leave both out, just shake the drink well with ice and you will still have a great Whiskey Sour, although you will not get the same thick foam.

The easiest way to get that thick creamy foam top is to use egg white or aquafaba and shake the drink twice. First, shake the ingredients without ice for about 10 seconds. This is what builds the foam. Then add plenty of ice and shake again until the shaker feels very cold.

Strain the drink into your glass and give the foam a few seconds to settle. For an extra pretty finish add a couple of drops of Angostura bitters to the foam and garnish with an orange or lemon peel. This two stage shaking method is widely used in whiskey sour recipes and after using it may times this is what we prefer to use for great results with this cocktail.

Bourbon is the easiest choice if you want a smooth balanced and approachable whiskey sour drink. Its naturally sweet rounded flavour works beautifully with sharp lemon juice and helps create a softer tasting drink.

Rye whiskey also works very well if you prefer a drier drink with a little more spice. You don't need an expensive bottle either. A good quality everyday bourbon is more than enough because the lemon and syrup become such an important part of the drink.

If you are new to whiskey then bourbon is the one I would reach for first. We recommend bourbon for its sweeter character while rye is a popular choice when people want more spice and bite. Use whichever one suits your taste the most.

What we've found from our taste tests is to balance the lemon juice rather than trying to hide it. Fresh lemon gives the drink its refreshing character but lemons can vary quite a lot in how sharp they taste.

So if your whiskey drink tastes too sour, add a little more simple syrup. Start with about 5 ml at a time and taste again. If it tastes too sweet then add a small splash more lemon juice instead. Using the right amount of dilution also makes a big difference. Shake the drink firmly with plenty of ice so it becomes cold and picks up enough water to soften the sharp edges. A good starting point is 60 ml bourbon, 22 ml fresh lemon juice and 20 ml simple syrup. From there you can make tiny adjustments depending on the lemon and whiskey you are using. Home bartenders often settle around this same balance of bourbon, lemon and syrup.

You can but fresh lemon juice makes a noticeable difference and is well worth using. It gives the cocktail a much more brighter and cleaner flavour that bottled lemon juice simply doesn't match. Freshly squeeze the lemon shortly before making your drink and measure the juice rather than relying on the size of the lemon. What we find is that lemons can produce very different amounts of juice and can vary considerably in acidity.

That small step makes the finished drink much more consistent. It also lets you adjust the sweetness if your particular lemon is especially sharp. Fresh lemon is one of the ingredients that professional recipes and experienced home bartenders consistently highlight as important to a good whiskey sour cocktail.