WHISKEY
SOUR
RECIPE.

The whiskey sour is the cocktail that tells you whether a bar (or a bottle) is any good. Three core ingredients — whiskey, lemon, sugar — in a balance that's tart, bright, and built on the bourbon underneath. Add an egg white and you get the silky foam that makes it look like a cocktail-bar pour. Here's the ratio that works every time.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 oz bourbon
• ¾ oz fresh lemon juice
• ¾ oz simple syrup
• 1 egg white (optional, for foam)
• Garnish: Angostura bitters, lemon wheel
• Ice · rocks glass or coupe

HOW TO MAKE A WHISKEY SOUR

1. Add bourbon, lemon, simple syrup, and the egg white (if using) to a shaker.
2. Dry shake with no ice for 10 seconds — this emulsifies the egg white into foam.
3. Add ice and shake hard for 15 seconds.
4. Double-strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice, or a chilled coupe for straight up.
5. Float a few drops of Angostura on the foam and add a lemon wheel.

TIPS

• The 2 : ¾ : ¾ ratio is the backbone. Adjust syrup slightly to taste, never the lemon.
• Fresh lemon is non-negotiable. Bottled juice ruins it.
• Skip the egg? The drink's still great — you just lose the foam. Aquafaba (chickpea brine) is a vegan swap.
• Better bourbon shows. A barrel-proof pour stands up to the lemon; a softer 86-proof makes it easygoing.