Classic Cocktails: Whiskey Sour
Recipe by Fred Minnick
This is considered the entry-level whiskey cocktail because people understand sweet and sour. Its history goes back to the mid-1800s, to the lemon shortage of that time: According to 1875 newspaper accounts, “The Lemon trees of the South are dying off by the thousand. If this thing continues ‘whiskey sour’ will be a rare drink . . .”
I like young bourbons for this cocktail. Think Jim Beam White, Hudson Baby Bourbon, and even Mellow Corn Whiskey. After you pick your poison, the recipe goes as follows:
INGREDIENTS
- 1 ounce fresh-squeezed lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon caster sugar
- 1 egg white
- 1.5 ounces grain-forward bourbon
TO PREPARE:
1. Dry-shake the first three ingredients to create a frothy texture.
2. Add ice into the shaker, add 1.5 ounces of grain-forward bourbon.
3.Shake vigorously.
4. Strain and pour over ice.
