Whiskey Sour
The Whiskey Sour is one of the IBA Unforgettables: 4 ingredients, shaken and served in a rocks glass. That makes 115 ml in the glass: a middling measure.
MethodShaken
GlassRocks glass
In the glass115 ml
Strength17.6%
Ingredients
- 45 mlbourbon whiskey
- 25 mlfresh lemon juice
- 20 mlsimple syrup
- 0.4 mlegg white
Method
- Pour all ingredients into cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake well.
- Strain into cobbler glass. If served “On the rocks”, strain ingredients
- into old fashioned glass filled with ice.
- NOTE:
- If egg white is used shake little harder to release and incorporate the foam from the egg white.
Garnish: Garnish with half orange slice and maraschino cherry, optionally use orange zest.
What it tastes like
- bitter → sweet
- Sweetness shows without covering: it comes from simple syrup, with 0.5 out of 10 of bitterness holding it back.
- round → sour
- Citrus shows, but this is no sour: 40th of 186, and it comes from fresh lemon juice.
- light → strong
- 17.6% after dilution: the middle band, 64th of 186.
Among the five around it on the map it is the only one built on whisky.
Five that come close
- Mai-TaiBuilt on rum and with gold rum in place of bourbon whiskey.
- BrambleBuilt on gin and with gin in place of bourbon whiskey.
- CaipirinhaBuilt on cachaça and with cachaça in place of bourbon whiskey.
- Tommy’s MargaritaBuilt on tequila and with tequila in place of bourbon whiskey.
- GimletBuilt on gin and with gin in place of bourbon whiskey.
Every drink near the Whiskey Sour on the map
Recipe source: IBA · checked on 30 October 2026