The combination of three flavorful ingredients – bourbon, citrus, and sugar, can give you a classic whiskey sour cocktail to savor. This cocktail has been enjoyed for over a century now and has its own day as well! Whiskey Sour Day is celebrated on the 25th of August; it’s time to celebrate this drink the right way, by drinking it of course!
The whiskey sour cocktail has unusual flavors that whiskey connoisseurs have been fond of for ages. Any cocktail lover will mention whiskey sour if asked about the most popular and iconic cocktails of all time. If you haven’t tried this cocktail before, now’s the time to enjoy this delicious drink. Here’s a list of our whiskey sour recipes for celebrating Whiskey Sour Day this year!
The History of Whiskey Sour
The printed record of a whiskey sour appeared in 1862 in Jerry Thomas’s ‘The Bartender’s Guide’. But, the recipe of sours made with different spirits was known decades before this guide. This sour drink was popular on the ships, especially during the 1800s. During that time, sailors had a tough time trying to find fresh and clean water on their voyages. Many sailors often suffered from a fatal disease called ‘scurvy’ due to a lack of Vitamin C. Long voyages and lack of clean water even made the sailors malnourished.
Sailors suffered from effects of scurvy like anemia, exhaustion and bleeding gums. After a long time, when the sailors discovered that citrus, could in fact, treat the scurvy, they carried huge amounts of lemons and oranges on their voyages. Along with that, sailors also carried spirits like whiskey and rum to quench their thirst for their long voyages.
In the course of time, citrusy fruits like lemons were mixed with drinks like whiskey, not just for quenching the thirst of sailors, but to also cure scurvy. That’s what led to the creation of the whiskey sour, which remains as one of the best cocktail drinks till date. Over the years, this drink has continued its popularity with many different variations. One of the most popular variations of the whiskey sour is The New York Sour. It’s nothing but the recipe of a classic whiskey sour with a splash of red wine at the top of the cocktail. Since there are so many variations and types of whiskey sours, it won’t be an overstatement to say that this cocktail is going to be around for many years to come.
Also Read: 7 Bourbon Cocktails To Try Right Now
Classic Whiskey Sour Recipe
The classic whiskey sour recipe has a ratio of ingredients that you need to follow – 2 parts of liquor, 1 part sour and 1 part sweet. But you can make changes to this ratio depending on your personal preferences. Don’t judge this cocktail by its name; the citrusy taste of this cocktail is balanced by the sweetness of simple syrup, which is one of the key ingredients. So, you don’t have to worry about the cocktail tasting too tangy and tart.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces of bourbon whiskey
- ¾ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ½ ounce of simple syrup
- ½ ounce of egg white
- Angostura bitters to garnish
How To Make Classic Whiskey Sour
- Take a cocktail shaker and add the bourbon whiskey, lemon juice, simple syrup, and egg white to it. Make sure that you don’t add ice at this stage. Shake the ingredients well so that they blend together.
- After you’ve shaken the ingredients well enough, you can add ice to the shaker. Shake the mixture again until it gets chilled.
- Take a rock glass or a Delmonico glass and strain the whiskey sour into it.
- Finally, add the finishing touch to your whiskey sour cocktail by garnishing it with Angostura bitters.
Also Read: How To Make A Blue Lagoon Cocktail?
New York Whiskey Sour Recipe
One of the most famous and oldest variations of whiskey sour is the New York Whiskey Sour cocktail. The very first sip of New York Whiskey Sour will give you the taste of citrus and tart flavors of this cocktail. Then, the wine layer at the top of this cocktail will make you experience the complex and intriguing flavors of the cocktail. Whether you’re celebrating the Whiskey Sour Day alone or with your friends, the New York Whiskey Sour cocktail is definitely worth trying!
Ingredients
- 2 ounces of bourbon whiskey
- 1 ounce of freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ¾ ounce of simple syrup
- 1 egg white
- ½ ounce of red wine
How To Make New York Whiskey Sour
- Take a cocktail shaker and add some ice to it. Pour the whiskey, lemon juice, simple syrup, and egg white into the shaker and shake it well.
- Take a rock glass with some ice and strain the mixture over it.
- Use a bar spoon and pour the red wine over it so that it falls on the top of the cocktail. Your New York Whiskey Sour is ready to be served!
Also Read: 7 Easy Gin Cocktail Recipes That You Should Try
Boston Sour Recipe
Boston Sour is a smooth variation of the whiskey sour cocktail. This cocktail is the right balance of sweet and sour flavors and requires only a few ingredients. It has a velvety smooth texture and a foamy topping. Boston Sour is one of the most preferred variations of the whiskey sour and can be made within minutes!
Ingredients
- 2 ounces of bourbon or rye whiskey
- ¾ ounce of freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ¾ ounce of simple syrup
- 1 egg white
- Angostura bitters or brandied berries to garnish
How To Make Boston Sour
- In a cocktail shaker, add the whiskey, lemon juice, and simple syrup. Dry shake the ingredients for about 10 seconds to froth the egg white.
- After the dry shake, you can add some ice to the shaker and shake the ingredients again until the cocktail is chilled.
- Strain the liquid into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish it with Angostura bitters or brandied berries.
Also Read: 7 Easy Cocktails To Make At Home
Continental Sour Recipe
Continental Sour is the cousin of New York Sour cocktail. The only difference between both these cocktails is that in Continental Sour, port wine is used instead of dry red wine. To make this cocktail, you’ll need less amount of simple syrup as the sweetness of the port wine will make up for it.
Ingredients
- 1 ⅓ ounce of rye or bourbon whiskey
- 1 ⅓ ounce of freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ⅔ ounce of simple syrup
- 1 egg white
- ⅓ ounce of port wine
- Berries to garnish
How To Make Continental Sour
- Take a cocktail shaker and fill half the shaker with ice cubes.
- Add the whiskey, lemon juice, simple syrup, and egg white to the shaker and shake it well.
- Strain the cocktail in a cocktail glass and present it to your guests by garnishing it with berries.
Penicillin Recipe
Penicillin cocktail is made using scotch as one of the key ingredients. So, if you’re a fan of scotch whiskey, this is a must-try cocktail. It has flavors of honey, lemon juice and ginger, perfect to battle a chilly winter night. This scotch based whiskey sour is known to be a modern variation of the whiskey sour cocktail. Here’s the recipe for a Penicillin cocktail!
Ingredients
- 2 ounces of blended scotch whiskey
- ¾ ounce of freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ¾ ounce of honey-ginger syrup
- ¼ ounce of Islay single malt scotch whiskey
- Candied ginger to garnish
How To Make A Penicillin Cocktail
- Take a cocktail shaker with some ice and add the blended scotch, lemon juice, and honey-ginger syrup to it. Shake the ingredients well so that they blend together.
- Take a cocktail glass with ice and pour the cocktail over the ice.
- Use Islay single malt scotch to top the cocktail.
- You can garnish your Penicillin cocktail with some candied ginger.
Also Read: 7 Best Scotch Cocktails You Don’t Want To Miss
Summing Up
Looking for delicious cocktail recipes to celebrate the Whiskey Sour Day this year? Try any of our favorite whiskey sour recipes mentioned above and impress your friends. Who knows, you might be able to come up with a different variation of your own! Happy drinking!
FAQs
What Whiskey Should be Used In A Whiskey Sour?
To make a whiskey sour cocktail, bourbon whiskey is known to be the most preferred choice because of its sweet and smooth flavors.
What Food Pairs Well With A Whiskey Sour?
Foods like salad, pork ribs, cheddar cheese, dark chocolate, etc pair exceptionally well with a whiskey sour cocktail.
What’s The Difference Between A Whiskey Sour And A Whiskey Stone Sour?
What makes whiskey stone sour different from the classic whiskey sour is the splash of orange juice that is added to the former cocktail. Just so you know, whiskey stone sour is also known as ‘California Sour’.
How Long Do You Dry Shake A Whiskey Sour?
You can dry shake the whiskey sour for around 30 seconds using a cocktail shaker. Keep in mind that you can add ice after you dry shake the ingredients. You have to shake the mixture again after which it can be strained in a rock or cocktail glass.
What Appetizer Goes With Whiskey Sour?
Some great appetizers that go well with whiskey sour are sesame sticks, rye chips, peanuts, etc.
What Fruit Goes Well With Whiskey?
If you’re looking for fruits to pair with your whiskey, you can go for apples and pears. Otherwise dry fruits like dates, dried figs and roasted nuts also taste great with whiskey.
Why Does Whiskey Sour Have Egg?
A typical whiskey sour cocktail has a creamy texture with a foamy head which is possible because egg white is one of the ingredients to make this cocktail. That’s why bartenders and home drink makers use egg to make a classic whiskey sour cocktail.
Is Whiskey Sour Better Without Egg?
A whiskey sour cocktail can be made without an egg. But, you won’t get the traditional creamy texture and foamy head if you choose to discard the egg for making this cocktail. A whiskey sour cocktail with or without an egg would depend on your taste and preferences.
