Traditional Whiskey Sour (with egg white)

Egg white cocktails are labor intensive, but you’ll be able to tone your biceps and impress your friends once you get the hang of them.

Although we’ve called this a “Traditional Whiskey Sour,” the first written recording of a whiskey sour cocktail was in 1862, in the Bartender’s Guide: How to Mix Drinks by Jerry Thomas. That recipe called for a large teaspoon of powdered sugar dissolved in a splash of seltzer, the juice of half a small lemon, and wine glass full of bourbon or rye (we’re guessing that maybe wine glasses were smaller in 1862??). The cocktail is then shaken and strained into a claret glass, with instructions to “ornament with berries.”

Egg white cocktails came into vogue in the late 1800’s. We love the way the egg white balances against the tart lemon juice and helps control the sweetness from the simple syrup. So, no offense to Jerry Thomas, but we’ll enjoy our whiskey sours this way!

Yield: 1 cocktail

Ingredients

• 2 oz. whiskey*

• 1/2 oz. simple syrup**

• 1/2 oz. fresh lemon juice

• 1 egg white (from a large egg)***

• Boston tins (recommended)

• Mesh strainer

• Hawthorne strainer

• Angostura bitters (optional, for garnish)

• Coupe or claret glass (recommended)

Instructions

Combine the whiskey, simple syrup, lemon juice, and egg white in a shaker. Seal and dry shake (i.e. without ice) for a minimum of 1 minute.

Optional: For an extra fluffy cocktail, open the shaker and fine strain the cocktail into the opposite tin (or another glass). Return the mixture to the shaker and dry shake again for about 10 seconds.

Add ice to the shaker and vigorously shake until the tins are very cold (about 10 to 30 seconds). Double strain the cocktail into your glass through the Hawthorne strainer and mesh strainer.

To garnish with a “party hat,” slowly drizzle some bitters onto the top of the cocktail. Using the end of a stirrer or toothpick, zig-zag across the bitters and then draw the stirrer once through the center (think latte art). Or just splash on a dash or two of bitters, it’s your journey.

Notes

*We recommend a bonded bourbon or rye whiskey for this cocktail. Depending on our moods, Jeff sometimes uses a Scotch whisky in this cocktail, such as one from Laphroaig. The smokiness plays really well against the citrus notes.

**To make simple syrup, combine equal parts white sugar with hot water (such as 1/2 cup sugar to 1/2 cup hot water). Mix to fully dissolve the sugar. Store in the fridge for up to a month.

***Consuming raw or undercooked meats, poultry, seafood, shellfish or eggs may increase your risk of foodborne illness.