Classic cocktail · Guided recipe

Whiskey Sour

The whiskey sour is bourbon, lemon and sugar — the template every “sour” cocktail is built on. This is the classic no-egg version: bright, balanced, and ready in two minutes.

Preparation~2 minEasyStrengthStrongabout 24% ABVMethodShaken8 guided stepsIngredients3Short (rocks) glass

Sour

In the glassBourbon · Fresh lemon juice · Simple syrup

See exact amounts

Make it with guidanceOne clear action at a time, with timers built in.

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What goes in

Ingredients

An empty clear rocks glass with low straight sides and a heavy base. — Serving glassRocks glass

Set up before you pour

Use a rocks glass.

The low, sturdy bowl suits concentrated drinks and gives one large cube enough width.

Standard size: 300 ml10¼ oz
Ice & serve: Fill it with fresh ice cubes.
If you don’t own one: Use a small water tumbler with a heavy base.

Tools to set out

cocktail shaker (or a jam jar with a tight lid)
strainer — cobbler shakers have one built into the cap; otherwise a Hawthorne strainer or small sieve
jigger or measuring spoon

Compare all glass types

Scale to your short (rocks) glassWe’ll remember this glass size.

Bourbon60 ml
Fresh lemon juice30 ml
Simple syrup22 ml

Start making

From bottle to glass

Method

01
Measure into the shaker
Pour 60 ml bourbon into your shaker
- Bourbon
02
Measure into the shaker
Add 30 ml fresh lemon juice
- Fresh lemon juice
Why it mattersOne lemon gives about 45 ml of juice — you need most of one per drink.
03
Measure into the shaker
Add 22 ml simple syrup
- Simple syrup
04
Ice the shaker
Fill the shaker with ice
05
Seal and shake
Seal and shake hard
Why it mattersShaking does two jobs at once: chills the drink and adds the bit of water it needs.
06
Ice the glass
Fill your rocks glass with fresh ice
Why it mattersFresh ice in the glass — the shaker ice has done its job and is half melted.
07
Strain cleanly
Strain into the glass over the ice
Why it mattersPour through the strainer so the spent shaker ice stays behind.
08
Finish the drink
Finish it — add a cocktail cherry, and drop an orange slice into the glass

Know your drink

About the Whiskey Sour

An Old Fashioned, Whiskey Sour and sparkling whiskey highball in a warm library bar.

The template cocktail

First printed in Jerry Thomas’ 1862 "Bartender’s Guide", the whiskey sour is the drink the entire sour family is measured against: two parts spirit, one part citrus, three-quarters to one part sweet. Learn this ratio and you can improvise a margarita, daiquiri, gimlet or amaretto sour without a recipe.

Common questions

Whiskey Sour FAQ

Does a whiskey sour need egg white?

No — the classic recipe is bourbon, lemon and sugar. Adding egg white makes it a Boston Sour: silkier, with a snowy foam cap. If you use egg white, "dry shake" first (shake without ice to build the foam), then shake again with ice.

Bourbon or rye for a whiskey sour?

Bourbon is the crowd-pleaser — its vanilla sweetness rounds out the lemon. Rye makes a drier, spicier sour. Scotch takes it toward a Whisky Sour with a smoky edge. All work at the same measurements.

Can I use bottled sour mix?

Please don’t. Sour mix is why bar sours taste like candy. Fresh lemon juice and homemade simple syrup take two minutes and completely change the drink — that’s the entire secret of a great whiskey sour.

What ingredients are in a Whiskey Sour?

A classic Whiskey Sour calls for 60 ml (2 oz) Bourbon, 30 ml (1 oz) Fresh lemon juice, 22 ml (0.75 oz) Simple syrup. That single-serve spec scales cleanly — the recipe above converts it to oz and multiplies it for 2–4 drinks.

How strong is a Whiskey Sour?

A standard Whiskey Sour is roughly 24% ABV once mixed (before ice melt softens it further). That makes it spirit-forward — closer to a Martini than to a beer, so sip it slowly.

Is a Whiskey Sour shaken or stirred?

A Whiskey Sour is shaken — the rule of thumb is to shake anything with citrus juice. About 13 seconds with plenty of ice chills and dilutes it correctly.

What glass do you serve a Whiskey Sour in?

Serve a Whiskey Sour in a rocks glass (old fashioned glass), over fresh ice cubes.

Sharpen the technique