3 Wickedly Good Whiskey Sour Recipes

Any whiskey lover knows the value of a truly great whiskey sour! It’s the ultimate refreshing cocktail (especially during the spring or summer), and the classic combination of whiskey, lemon juice, and sugar make the traditional drink light and refreshing. However, one of the things we love most about this particular drink is its versatility – there are so many delicious ways to mix things up and add your own ingredients. We rounded up three of our favorite whiskey sour variation recipes; ingredients, directions, and all!

Maple & Thyme Whiskey Sour

This cocktail is bright, fresh and satisfying. The rye whiskey and fresh lemon juice play off of each other perfectly and the addition of egg white gives the shaken cocktail a smooth, creamy, almost silky mouthfeel. Adding maple and thyme to this classic drink give just a hint of Autumnal earthiness without being too blatant. The flavors are the perfect subtle compliment to the lemon and whiskey. Thyme adds an herbal woodsiness, and the maple is a wonderfully sweet and smoky replacement to the superfine sugar traditionally present in a whiskey sour.

Ingredients:

• 2 to 3 big long sprigs of fresh thyme
• ½ oz real maple syrup (grade B preferably)
• 1 dash orange (or citrus) bitters
• 1 oz fresh lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
• 2 oz good rye whiskey
• 1 egg white
• Ice
• 1 small thyme sprig to garnish

Directions:

1. Using a cocktail muddler, muddle the long sprigs of thyme with maple syrup and orange bitters in the bottom of a cocktail shaker. Smash and stir well.
2. Add lemon juice, whiskey, and egg white and close the shaker. Shake for a minute or two.
3. Remove the lid, add a good handful of ice, and close it back up. Give it a few more good shakes, just until the cocktail is nice and cold.
4. Strain into a martini or coupe glass. Most cocktail shakers have a built in strainer, but you may want to use a small mesh strainer to catch any loose thyme leaves.
5. If desired, garnish with thyme sprig. Enjoy!

Alexis Bordeaux Whiskey Sour Recipe

Inspired by a cocktail at New York's Lafayette restaurant, this twist on a classic whiskey sour gets its fruity flavor and rosy color from muddled maraschino cherries and Lillet Rouge, the fruity red French apéritif wine enhanced with citrus and spices.

Ingredients:

• 1 oz. lemon juice
• 1 tbsp. maple syrup
• 2 maraschino cherries, plus more for garnish
• 2 oz. whiskey
• 1 oz. Lillet Rouge
• 1 egg white
• 5 dashes orange bitters
• 1 oz. seltzer

Directions:

1. Muddle lemon juice, maple syrup, and cherries in a cocktail shaker.
2. Add whiskey, Lillet Rouge, egg white, bitters, and ice; shake vigorously and strain into an old fashioned glass filled with ice.
3. Top with seltzer and garnish with a cherry.

Ward Eight Whiskey Sour Recipe

The Ward Eight is an interesting boozy concoction with an even more fascinating history. Created in the very late 19th Century to celebrate the victory of Martin Lomasney’s bid for a campaign seat in Boston’s Eighth Ward, the cocktail has grown into a legacy in and of itself. As legend has it, Lomasney’s camp walked into the Locke-Ober (the third oldest restaurant/bar in Boston) and asked the staff there to create a drink in Lomasney’s honor. Today, the drink has clearly withstood the test of time – and with good reason, we think!

Ingredients:

• 2 ounces rye or bourbon
• ½ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
• ½ ounce freshly squeezed orange juice
• 1 teaspoon grenadine
• Ice
• 1 maraschino cherry

Directions:

1. Fill a cocktail glass with ice and place in the freezer to chill.
2. Place the rye or bourbon, lemon juice, orange juice, and grenadine in a cocktail shaker. Fill the shaker halfway with ice and shake vigorously until the outside is frosty, about 30 seconds. 3. Strain into the chilled glass and garnish with the maraschino cherry.

For more fun cocktail recipes and ideas, visit our other blogs!