Drink Whisky Sour, a classic sour with whisky Base Bourbon, lemon juice, sugar syrup and egg white In our recipe 6 cl bourbon, 4 cl lemon juice, 2 cl sugar syrup, 2 cl egg white, 2 dash Angostura Served In a Riedel glass, garnished with orange peel twisted over the glass Oldest known mention Waukesha Plain Dealer, Wisconsin, 4 January 1870 Family Sour. With egg white it is often called a Boston Sour Recognition Included in Difford's Guide Top 100 Cocktails
Method: how to make a Whisky Sour Pour all ingredients into the shaker and dry shake (without ice).
VIDEO Whisky Sour history: from punch to Waukesha A Whisky Sour feels like something that has always been around. But nobody knows who came up with it, and the first traces are more detective work than birth certificate.
The sour comes from punch Difford's Guide writes that punch is probably the predecessor of all sours. The British Navy mixed rum with lime juice against scurvy, and the principle of spirit, citrus and something sweet is old. The first trace of an actual Sour is a handwritten list of 107 drinks from Mart Ackermann's Saloon in Toronto in 1856.
Jerry Thomas and 1862: but not with whisky Many point to Jerry Thomas' bartender's guide from 1862, and this is where the first written sour recipes are found. But they are a Brandy Sour, a Gin Sour and a Santa Cruz, which is made with rum. There is no Whisky Sour. So the old explanation that the drink first appears in Thomas' book does not hold.
1870: the first Whisky Sour in print The oldest known mention of a whisky sour is in the local newspaper Waukesha Plain Dealer in Wisconsin on 4 January 1870. The article suggests the drink was already known by then, so it is older than the paper. In 1879 a quote in the Atlanta Daily Constitution shows it had become popular, writes Difford's Guide, referring to David Wondrich. Read more at Difford's Guide and Wikipedia .
Iquique and Chicago: more people who want the credit As with most old drinks, several people would like to be the inventor. Wikipedia mentions a Peruvian newspaper that credits Elliott Stubb with making a whisky sour in the port town of Iquique in 1872, using limón de Pica. The claim appears in a publication from 1962, so it comes 90 years later. Another story is about a Chicago bartender who in 1883 is said to have put red wine on top. That one is also disputed, writes The Whiskey Wash.
Egg white and the Boston Sour The egg white came later. According to The Whiskey Wash, the first written mention of egg white in a Whisky Sour is in Robert Vermeire's Cocktails: How to Mix Them from 1922. A Whisky Sour with egg white is often called a Boston Sour, but many bars use the names interchangeably. If you want foam and a softer drink, it is the egg white that does it.
New York Sour: red wine on top A New York Sour is a Whisky Sour with a splash of red wine on top. It has had several names, including Chicago Sour, Continental Sour and Southern Whiskey Sour. According to Difford's Guide, the modern version with both egg white and red wine comes from Che Bar in London in the late 1900s.
Whisky Sour timeline 1856 First known trace of a Sour: handwritten drinks list from Mart Ackermann's Saloon, Toronto 1862 Jerry Thomas' bartender's guide has sours with brandy, gin and rum 1870 First known mention of a whisky sour: Waukesha Plain Dealer, Wisconsin 1879 Atlanta Daily Constitution shows the drink is popular 1922 First written mention of egg white in a Whisky Sour (Vermeire)
The Whisky Sour today The drink became especially popular during Prohibition in the USA, when speakeasies experimented with poorer spirits. That may be part of the explanation for the many conflicting stories, writes The Whiskey Wash. Today it is a fixture in Difford's Guide Top 100 Cocktails.
Whisky Sour, Boston Sour and New York Sour Whisky Sour Whisky, lemon juice and sugar syrup Boston Sour Like a Whisky Sour, but with egg white. The names are often used interchangeably New York Sour Whisky Sour with a splash of red wine on top Scotch Sour Made with Scotch instead of bourbon. Try the Scotch Sour from Nc'nean
How to make a better Whisky Sour Our recipe follows the same proportions as the IBA: three parts whisky, two parts lemon juice and one part sugar syrup. The IBA uses 4.5, 3 and 1.5 cl, we use 6, 4 and 2, so it is the same drink in a bigger glass. Squeeze the lemons yourself with the lemon squeezer , you can taste the difference. The recipe only uses a dry shake. Many bars then shake again with ice so the drink gets colder. Try both and see which you prefer. If you want more sours, take a look at the Clover Club , which also has egg white, or an Old Fashioned if you prefer it sweet and strong. And if you want something lighter, there is a whisky tonic .
Frequently asked questions about the Whisky Sour recipe What is a Whisky Sour? A classic cocktail of whisky (usually bourbon), lemon juice and sugar syrup, often with egg white. It belongs to the big sour family.
What goes into a Whisky Sour? Our recipe uses 6 cl bourbon, 4 cl freshly squeezed lemon juice, 2 cl sugar syrup, 2 cl egg white and 2 dash Angostura Bitters. It is topped with soda water and garnished with orange peel.
Who invented the Whisky Sour? Nobody knows. The oldest known mention is in the Waukesha Plain Dealer in Wisconsin on 4 January 1870. Several people have claimed the credit, but there is no certain inventor.
Was the Whisky Sour in Jerry Thomas' 1862 book? According to Difford's Guide the book has the first known sour recipes, but they are made with brandy, gin and rum. The Whisky Sour is not one of them.
What is a Boston Sour? A Whisky Sour with egg white. Many bars use the names Whisky Sour and Boston Sour interchangeably.
What is a New York Sour? A Whisky Sour with a splash of red wine floated on top. It has also been called Chicago Sour, Continental Sour and Southern Whiskey Sour.
Does a Whisky Sour need egg white? It is not necessary. According to The Whiskey Wash, egg white first appears in a book from 1922. It gives foam and a rounder drink, but you can make it without.
Which whisky should I use for a Whisky Sour? Classically it is bourbon. With Scotch it is called a Scotch Sour. Pick a whisky with enough strength to stand up to the lemon.
What is the ratio in a Whisky Sour? Three parts whisky, two parts lemon juice and one part sugar syrup. The IBA uses 4.5, 3 and 1.5 cl. Our recipe is the same drink in a bigger size: 6, 4 and 2 cl.
Which glass should a Whisky Sour be served in? We use a Riedel glass. In the past people have used both small bar glasses (1862) and claret glasses (1912).
Want to make a Whisky Sour yourself? You need a good bourbon, Angostura Bitters , a shaker and a Riedel glass . If you cannot find what you are looking for, the other whisky drinks are collected here.
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