The Whiskey Sour is essentially a cocktail that combines whiskey with both a sweet and a sour flavor. It is a famous American cocktail and is an enjoyable drink to sip on. Although simple, it does tend to mask the alcoholic flavor quite well, so straight whiskey drinkers might want to look elsewhere for a cocktail with a strong whiskey flavor.
Whiskey Sour Recipe Ingredients
Using an American bourbon or whiskey is the way to go when making a whiskey sour. They have a full body but are not as smokey as other whiskeys.
The sweet part of the recipe can come from a syrup or sugar. Some people make their own syrup by adding sugar to water, stirring, and putting the mixture in the fridge. This method allows the drinker to control the sweetness of the drink. Using a lot of sugar in a little bit of water will make a concentrated syrup that will sweeten but not dilute the drink, and conversely using a little sugar and a lot of water will add a mild sweetness whilst diluting the drink. Drinkers can make their own according to their tastes.
Whether to choose lemon or lime to provide the sour flavor is dependent on taste. I prefer lemon and use the juice of half a lemon.
To summarize, a typical ingredient list would be:
- Juice of half a lemon
- 1tsp caster sugar dissolved in small amount of water
- 1 measure of whisky
- Garnish of lemon, lime or orange
Adding egg white to a whiskey sour makes it a Boston sour. I think that a Whiskey sour cocktail without the egg white tastes much better, but to each his (or her) own.
How to Make a Whiskey Sour Cocktail
The ingredients can be combined with crushed ice and shaken to provide a refreshing and chilled whiskey sour.
People without a cocktail shaker can still make a whiskey sour using a slightly different method. Rather than using a syrup, use normal caster sugar.
- Combine 1tsp of caster sugar with lemon and 3 cubes of crushed ice.
- Wait for the mixture to dissolve.
- Add whiskey.
- Garnish with lemon.
If the above mixture is too sour, try adding a little more sugar.