Whiskey sour

Whiskey sour
IBA official cocktail
A whiskey sour with ice cubes and a lemon slice
TypeCocktail
Base spirit
ServedOn the rocks or straight up
Standard garnishMaraschino cherry and half orange slice
Standard drinkware Old fashioned glass
IBA specified
ingredients†
PreparationShake with ice. Strain into chilled glass, garnish and serve.
Commonly servedBefore dinner
NotesIf served 'On the rocks', strain ingredients into old-fashioned glass filled with ice.
Whiskey Sour recipe at DrinkBoy IBA

A whiskey sour is a mixed drink or shot containing whiskey, lemon juice, and simple syrup, and traditionally garnished with a cherry or sometimes a lemon wedge. It is a blend of sour, bitter, and sweet flavors.

Sometimes, an egg white is included, which is sometimes called a Boston sour. When the whisky used is a Scotch, it is called a Scotch sour. With a few bar spoons of full-bodied red wine floated on top, it is usually referred to as a New York sour. It is shaken and served either straight up or over ice.

The International Bartenders Association recipe includes a garnish of half an orange slice and a maraschino cherry.

A variant of the whiskey sour is the Ward 8, which often is based on bourbon or rye whiskey, and includes both lemon juice and orange juice, and grenadine syrup as the sweetener. The egg white sometimes employed in other whiskey sours is not usually included.