Whiskey Makes You Smile

As Bourbon Heritage Month comes to a close, we take a look at another classic bourbon (or sometimes rye) cocktail - the Whiskey Sour.

Last week, we learned about the origins of Rum Punch and how punch was the ancestral citrus & spirit combination to the single-serving cocktail version of the Sour cocktail.

Today, we will be learning the history of the Whiskey Sour cocktail and its variations.

In Imbibe!, David Wondrich tells us, "From roughly the 1860s to the 1960s, the Sour, and particularly its whiskey incarnation, was one of the cardinal points of American drinking." By this time, ice was more widely available than before, and customers preferred individual drinks over being served from the communal punch bowl.

There were many Sour cocktails popular at this time, Brandy Sours, Sours a la Creole (Yes, please! This recipe includes brandy, Jamaican rum, lime, and ice cream on top!), Dizzy Sours, & more. The Whiskey Sour maintained its celebrity and has been the cocktail of choice for connoisseurs and first-time cocktail drinkers alike.

The Whiskey Sour is a recipe with endless variations. The version with egg white was re-popularized in America post- Prohibition. The general rule for using egg-white is that the drink should stand on its own (be delicious!) without it before adding the textural element. For an "eggless" egg white cocktail, we suggest using 1/2 oz of Aquafaba or 1 tsp of Aquafaba powder. Check out our video above to master the classic Whiskey Sour!

Cheers!