Codex QA: Whisky Sour Cocktail Recipe.
Five minutes, four pours, one good shake - built with Manly Single Malt.
If you only learn one cocktail, learn this one. It teaches balance, foam, and what good lemon actually tastes like.
Ingredients
For ×1 · mL · change in the toolbar above
Manly Single Malt Whisky
The star of the drink - see whisky picker below
Fresh lemon juice
Always fresh. Bottled juice will not cut it.
Simple syrup (1:1)
Equal parts sugar and hot water.
Egg white (optional)
Creates silky foam. Vegan? Use 1 tbsp aquafaba.
Angostura bitters
Adds depth and aroma.
Maraschino cherry and orange slice
Hard to find? See garnish options below.
Tools you'll need
Cocktail shaker
A jar with a tight lid works just as well.
Jigger
Or a 30 mL shot glass - measure twice, pour once.
Fine strainer
Or a tea strainer balanced on the glass.
How to make it
3 steps · 5 minutes
Dry shake
15 seconds - no ice
Add the whisky, lemon, simple syrup and egg white to the shaker. Lid on tight. Shake hard for fifteen seconds - you are building foam, not chilling anything. The sound will shift from sloshy to soft as the egg whips up.
Shaking without ice first whips the egg white like meringue. No ice means no cold, and better foam. You will hear the difference.
Wet shake
15 seconds - with ice
Open the shaker, drop in a generous handful of ice, seal it again and shake until the outside of the tin is painfully cold to hold. About another fifteen seconds.
Double-strain and dress
30 seconds
Strain through the shaker strainer and a fine mesh into a chilled rocks glass over one big ice cube - or no ice at all if you are serving up. Two dashes of bitters across the foam, a cherry, an orange slice. Done.
Stops shards of ice cracking the foam and keeps the top glassy. A tea strainer balanced on the rim works in a pinch.
If something's off
Too __ → try __
Too tart?
Add another 5 mL of simple syrup. Or use a riper lemon - supermarket lemons in winter are sharper.
No foam?
Egg white was not cold enough, or you did not shake long enough. Use a fresh egg and shake the dry stage for 30 seconds.
Too boozy?
Drop the whisky to 45 mL and add another splash of lemon. Taste before you judge - the dilution will land it.
The whisky changes the drink
A/B between Manly bottles
Manly Single Malt
Stone fruit and light smoke. Tames the lemon, lets the bitters sing. The bottle to reach for first.
Shop bottle
Coastal Stone
Peat-forward. A smokier, more complex sour - save it for once you have made this drink a few times.
Shop bottleQuestions you'll have
Tap to expand
Do I really need egg white?
No - but it changes the drink. The foam softens the tartness and adds a silky texture to the first sip. Vegan? Use 1 tablespoon of aquafaba.
Is raw egg white safe to drink?
The risk is very low with a fresh, refrigerated egg. Concerned? Pasteurised eggs work perfectly, or stick with aquafaba.
What is simple syrup, and can I skip it?
Sugar dissolved in equal parts hot water. It takes five minutes and keeps in the fridge for two weeks. Honey syrup, agave or maple also work, but each changes the character.
Can I batch this for a party?
Yes. Pre-mix everything except ice and egg white, then shake individual serves as guests arrive.
Making it for a crowd
Pre-mix without ice or egg.
Finish the drink
Classic garnish options and easy swaps
Cherry
Maraschino if you can find one. Frozen morello works just as well.
Orange slice
Half-moon, peel on. A cheap navel beats a fancy blood orange here.
Lemon twist
Already in your lemon. Peel a strip, twist over the glass to release the oil.
