Whiskey · Sour · Sour
Whiskey Sour Recipe
Bourbon, fresh lemon, and simple syrup, dry-shaken with egg white for a texture that's closer to silk than juice.
- Prep Time
- 2 min
- Method
- Shaken
- Glass
- Rocks glass
- Strength
- Balanced
Every recipe on Sipped Right is tested for taste and balance before it's published.
Last updated September 14, 2026
About the Whiskey Sour
Sours as a drink family date back to sailors carrying citrus for scurvy prevention, mixed with whatever spirit was on board. The Whiskey Sour specifically is generally traced to Wisconsin in the 1860s–70s, first appearing in print in Jerry Thomas's 1876 guide, though the exact first pour is impossible to pin down with certainty.
Ingredients
- Bourbon2 oz
- Fresh lemon juice¾ oz
- Simple syrup¾ oz
- Egg white1, or 0.75 oz pasteurized
- Lemon slice, for garnish1
Method
- Add the bourbon, fresh lemon juice, simple syrup and egg white to the shaker — no ice.
- Dry shake for 15 seconds to emulsify and build foam.
- Add a scoop of ice to the shaker.
- Shake for 15 seconds.
- Double-strain the cocktail into a rocks glass over fresh ice.
- Cut a lemon slice.
- Garnish with the lemon slice.
Glass & Garnish
Rocks glass, over ice. Garnish: a thin lemon slice, sometimes a few drops of Angostura on the foam.
Notes
Raw egg white carries a small salmonella risk — use pasteurized egg white if that's a concern for anyone drinking it. Skipping the egg white still makes a valid, foam-free version — drop the dry shake step if you do. Batches well minus the egg white, which should be shaken fresh per serving. Common mistake: skipping the dry shake when egg white's in the mix. Pairs well with grilled meats or a sharp cheese board.
Tools Used
Affiliate links
As an Amazon Associate, Sipped Right earns commission from qualifying purchases made via links on this website, at no extra cost to you.
Related Cocktails
Whiskey
Old Fashioned
Three ingredients, one stir — the drink that taught the world what a cocktail should be.
Whiskey
Manhattan
Rye whiskey and sweet vermouth, stirred cold with a whisper of bitters, into a drink that tastes like it was built around a slow evening.
Whiskey
Whiskey Smash
An Old Fashioned that decided to wake up — muddled mint, fresh lemon, same whiskey backbone.