Shake the citrus base, strain, top with Champagne, and stir gently
French 75
Cold gin, bright lemon, and a long lift of fine Champagne bubbles.
Shake hard and fine strain over fresh ice
Whiskey Sour
A clean, no-egg whiskey sour that makes sweet-and-sour balance easy to taste.
Edited by CocktailSteps Editorial Team
- Time
- 5 minutes
- Level
- Easy
- Glass
- Rocks glass
- Approx. ABV
- 18% · Medium
- Tradition
- American
- Profile
- Sweet · Sour · Citrus
Ingredient totals
Ingredients
Amounts below make one drink. The method, Quick Check, and guided Make use these one-glass amounts.
2 ozBourbonRecommended brandWild Turkey 101
0.75 ozFresh lemon juiceRecommended brandSunkist Lemon
0.75 ozSimple syrupRecipe specification1:1 white sugar to water, by weight
Stir 100 g white sugar with 100 g warm water until no crystals remain, then cool before measuring into the drink. Use a scale: equal cups of sugar and water give a different concentration. A richer 2:1 syrup or a concentrated bottled cane syrup needs a smaller measure, not an equal-volume swap; check the bottle’s specification.
2 dashesAromatic bittersRecommended brandANGOSTURA Aromatic Bitters
1 pieceCocktail cherryOptionalRecommended brandLuxardo Original Maraschino Cherries
Measured method · one drink
How to make Whiskey Sour
These steps make one glass. For more drinks, use the ingredient totals above to set up, then repeat this method for each serving.
- 01
Measure the sour
2 oz bourbon · ¾ oz lemon · ¾ oz syrup · 2 dashes bitters
Add 2 oz bourbon, ¾ oz fresh lemon juice, ¾ oz simple syrup, and 2 dashes aromatic bitters to the shaker.
Measure the sour visual check - 02
Shake hard
Shake with ice · 12 sec
Fill the shaker with cubed ice, seal it, and shake hard for 12 seconds.
Shake hard visual check - 03
Strain over fresh ice
Fine strain over cubed ice
Fill a chilled rocks glass with fresh cubed ice, then fine strain the Whiskey Sour over it.
Strain over fresh ice visual check - 04
Add the cherry
1 cocktail cherry
Spear 1 cocktail cherry on a cocktail pick and rest it across the rim, if using.
Add the cherry visual check
Fill the shaker with cubed ice, seal it, and shake hard for 12 seconds.
AI-assisted illustration of one step. Follow the measured method above; sound is optional.Key move
Use fresh lemon and measure the sweet-sour balance exactly
Technique note
Why this build works
Two ounces of bourbon establish a full whiskey base, while equal ¾-ounce measures of fresh lemon and simple syrup create an intentionally direct sweet-sour frame. The equal measures make the balance easy to reproduce, but the larger whiskey pour prevents the drink from becoming lemonade. Two dashes of aromatic bitters add spice without changing the volume enough to disturb that ratio. An energetic shake chills, dilutes, and combines the citrus with the spirit; judge the coldness and taste alongside the timer. Fine straining over fresh ice avoids carrying broken shaker ice into the serving glass, where it would accelerate dilution.
Common failure points
- The sour becomes watery soon after it is served.
- Discard the shaker ice and fine strain over fresh, solid cubes.
- The drink tastes dull despite enough sweetness.
- Taste and measure the lemon juice before mixing. Juice with stale aroma or a heavily sweetened bottled mixer changes the recipe; adding more syrup will not restore fresh citrus aroma.
Measure or substitute
Rye can replace bourbon at 2 ounces for more spice. The ¾ ounce of syrup assumes 1:1 simple syrup by weight. Our 2:1 demerara syrup needs dilution first: mix 3 parts syrup with 1 part water by weight, then measure; the result adds brown-sugar flavor. This version contains no egg white.
Recipe references
These references describe the drink or its ingredients. Our measured build and teaching notes are CocktailSteps adaptations; proportions and methods may differ from the reference.
Set the station
Tools
JiggerRecommended brandCocktail Kingdom Japanese Style Jigger
Cocktail shakerRecommended brandCocktail Kingdom KORIKO Shaking Tins
Fine strainerRecommended brandCocktail Kingdom COCO Mesh Cone
Rocks glassRecommended brandRIEDEL Drink Specific Rocks Glass
Choose your bottle
Bottle buying guide
Best fit is our default. Spend less with Smart buy, or choose Upgrade when you want more character.
Bourbon
Aromatic bitters
Know the pour
Medium
A shaken bourbon sour softened by citrus, sugar, and dilution.
Contains alcohol. Serve only to adults of legal drinking age and enjoy responsibly.
