Whiskey Sour

It’s a glorious vintage cocktail that begins with a gorgeous bourbon whiskey bringing its hints of cinnamon and caramel. Blend this delightful spirit with fresh lemon juice to add a crisp note, lightly sweeten things with a kiss of simple syrup and softened with a wisp of egg whites. Sprinkle with Angostura bitters for another layer of cinnamon and caramel. It’s no wonder it’s been around for over a century!

We love old cocktails and this one is really old. The recipe for this fabulous cocktail was first published in the mid 1800s. Stories link it back even further in history when travel over the seas was long and rough. Rum and whiskey could be found aboard the ships along with citrus, which was brought along to ward off the threat of scurvy. The blend of spirits and citrus was inevitable.

Start with a really good whiskey, one that’s rich, with a flavor profile of cinnamon, caramel and honey. Swirl the bourbon whiskey with freshly squeezed lemon juice, a touch of simple syrup and shake together with egg whites.

To finish, pour it over ice and add a few dashes of Angostura bitters and serve.

Smooth sipping on warm summer day!

Whiskey Sour

½ cup good whiskey

3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 tablespoons simple syrup

2 tablespoons egg whites*

2 to 3 dashes Angostura bitters

Ice for shaking and serving

Lemon slices for garnish

Pour the whiskey, lemon juice, simple syrup and egg whites into a shaker with a tight fitting lid, but no ice yet.

Fill the shaker with ice and continue shaking until the cocktail is quite cold. Fill two cocktail glasses with ice and slide a slice of lemon inside the glass.

Top each with 2 to 3 dashes of bitters and stir to blend.

Makes 2 cocktails.

*This cocktail was originally made using raw egg whites which might pose a risk of food-borne illness. We used pasteurized egg whites which are available in most food markets to minimize any risk.

To make a basic simple syrup:

3 cups of sugar

2 cups of water

Combine in a small saucepan and warm over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally until the sugar has completely dissolved, about 10 minutes.

Let the syrup cool and keep refrigerated. The recipe for simple syrup makes about 2 to 2-½ cups and keeps well refrigerated, perfect for sweet iced tea, cocktails or cold drinks. If you want a smaller batch, you can easily cut the recipe in half.