5 Best Twists on the Whiskey Sour

The Whiskey Sour cocktail is an oldie but goodie. Dating back to the 1860s, this cocktail has been a favorite among many throughout the years and remains popular to this day. It’s a simple drink, made of whiskey, sugar, and fresh lemon juice, making for an easy sip to master and a refreshing one at that. As for the egg white, it's optional, but it does add a pleasing texture.

“Fresh ingredients are the key to a great Whiskey Sour,” says bourbon and whiskey expert and Alcohol Professor contributor Maggie Kimberl. “Squeezing an ounce and a half of fresh lemon juice is a lot easier than you think, and once you master the lemon-only Whiskey Sour, you can start experimenting with adding lime juice and other citrus.”

The whiskey you use in the cocktail is important and can take some time to figure out depending on your preference. For example, if you want to taste the whiskey, go for a higher proof of about 100 or higher says Kimberl, while those looking for a lighter version should opt for a lower proof.

After learning the flavor and ratios to find your personal whiskey profile, “you can start experimenting with whiskeys not traditionally used in Whiskey Sours,” says Kimberl. These can include “malt whiskeys, whiskeys with different smokes or flavors added, or even whiskeys with nonstandard grains like heritage corn.”

We like this idea of experimenting. While the standard variation of the Whiskey Sour is perfect on its own, after 150 years, it’s fun to add some new and innovative twists to the old timer. We rounded up some of the most unique spins on the classic Whiskey Sour for your drinking pleasure.

Maple Bourbon Sour

Adding maple syrup

If you’re craving some fall flavors in your cup, this drink is your jam. The Maple Bourbon Sour is mixed with WhistlePig PiggyBack 100 Proof Bourbon Whiskey, lemon juice, egg white, bitters, and WhistlePig Barrel Aged Maple Syrup that adds the right amount of sweetness. "The sweetness from the whiskey and WhistlePig Barrel Aged Maple Syrup is a great complement to the citrus and acidity, making it quite the sipper,” says Liz Rhoades, Head of Whiskey Development at WhistlePig Whiskey.

2 oz PiggyBack 100 Proof Bourbon

¾ oz WhistlePig Barrel Aged Maple Syrup

1 oz freshly squeezed Lemon Juice

2 dashes bitters

1 egg white

Fresh orange peel or cherry for garnish

Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker. Fill shaker with ice, cover, and shake vigorously until outside of shaker is very cold, about 20 seconds. Strain cocktail through a Hawthorne strainer or a slotted spoon into an old-fashioned or rocks glass filled with ice. Garnish with orange wheel and/or cherry.

New York Sour

Adding red wine

Hudson Whiskey has created its own version of the Whiskey Sour with a taste as complex as the city it’s named after. The New York Sour is made with Hudson’s Do the Rye Thing Whiskey, “a bold and spicy straight rye whiskey that has notes of citrus and honey with a bright mint finish,” says Brendan O’Rourke, Chief Distiller at Tuthilltown Spirits (producers of Hudson Whiskey). This version also includes a red wine float that not only looks cool in the glass but brings out new flavors to the drink itself.

2 parts Hudson Do The Rye Thing Whiskey

1 part freshly squeezed lemon juice

¾ part simple syrup

1 egg white

½ part red wine

Add the whiskey, lemon juice, simple syrup and egg white (optional) into a shaker with ice and shake hard until well-chilled. Strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice. Slowly pour the red wine over the back of a bar spoon so that the wine floats on top of the drink.

Marmalade on Rye

Adding orange marmalade

The Marmalade on Rye is a collaboration between The Beverly High Rye and award-winning bartender and author Jeffrey Morgenthaler. A blend of rye and bourbon whiskey, The Beverly High Rye offers warm notes of cinnamon and brown sugar that works well with the orange marmalade that’s added in the drink. "The Beverly has those hints of apricot,” says Morgenthaler. “I thought a nice Whiskey Sour with some bittersweet orange marmalade would be the perfect pairing.”

2 oz The Beverly High Rye

1 oz fresh lemon juice

½ oz 2:1 simple syrup

½ oz egg whites, lightly beaten

1 tsp orange marmalade

Combine all ingredients with ice cubes in a cocktail shaker and shake until cold. Fine strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

Old World Sour

Adding cherry syrup

This Old World Sour is made with the Brown-Forman spirit Coopers' Craft Barrel Reserve, fresh lemon and lime juice, and Luxardo Cherry Syrup. “I love the way the cherry rounds out the more acidic notes of citrus and accentuates the stone fruit notes in Coopers' Craft,” says Ian Sulkowski, Brand Ambassador for Brown-Forman. And while the cherry is the highlighted ingredient here, this drink is also about the whiskey. “The barrels that we use to make Coopers' Craft Barrel Reserve are made in-house and are entirely unique as we chisel them on the inside so that the bourbon has more access to the charred white oak,” say Sulkowski. “This process imparts robust and decadent flavors into our bourbon that are accentuated — rather than washed out — in a cocktail.”

1.5 oz Coopers’ Craft Barrel Reserve 100 Proof Bourbon

.5 oz lime juice

.5 oz lemon juice

.75 oz Luxardo® cherry syrup

1 egg white

Cherry for garnish

Shake egg white, add other ingredients and shake again. Shake one final time with ice. Strain, garnish with a cherry and serve.

Monkey Jam Sour

Adding jam

Created by Anna Mains, US Ambassador for Monkey Shoulder Whisky, the Monkey Jam Sour is all about the fruit. Mixed with lemon juice, orange bitters and jam, expect a fruity but tart explosion in your mouth. A blended malt scotch whiskey that is made to be mixed in cocktails, Monkey Shoulder is mellow but rich. “It’s balanced yet bold palate and fruity composition helps elevate the whisky sour to a fresh and new level,” says Mains. “It’s pushed even further by the whisky’s tasting notes of zesty orange, vanilla, honey and spice oak.”

50 ml Monkey Shoulder Original

20 ml fresh lemon juice

2 tsp jam

Dash of orange bitters

1 egg white or 2 tbsp of aquafaba (optional)

Add all ingredients to a shaker. Add fresh ice and shake. Strain into an ice-filled glass.