Simple Classic Whiskey Sour Cocktail

One of the things I love about entertaining is playing mixologist extraordinaire when we have friends over. Naturally, I keep a bar stocked with all kinds of spirits {including some of what I consider the stiff ones – whiskey included;-} to please the taste of any of our guests when they come over. However, one cocktail that was never on my radar or that I ever thought I would be shaking up at home is a whiskey sour, until a friend whom the hubby invited for a jam session in early spring came over (along with one of his favorite bottles of whiskey) and asked me if I knew how to make one. Of course, being the kind of host that aims to please anyone that steps inside our home, I took up the challenge by researching a few different recipes and then tweaked it to make it my own. The bonus: he said it was one of the best whiskey sours he’s had and the hubby and I who used to make yucky faces about whiskey find this cocktail to be one of our go-to’s as of late. Here’s how I’ve been making it ever since:

Ingredients

2 oz. michter’s straight rye whiskey {any whiskey will do}

1/2 oz. light agave syrup {healthier choice without the sugar spike afterwards}

1/2 oz. juice of lemon and lime mixed* {which cuts down the tartness and makes the drink smoother}

Directions

Shake all ingredients well in a cocktail shaker with ice {about 30 seconds}. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass {with ice or not} garnish with a maraschino cherry/cherries.

*For best results with any cocktail that requires lime or lemon juice, you can never beat freshly squeezed juices. I always have a half gallon of fresh lime and lemon juice mix in my fridge at the ready. Trust me, it is worth the effort. For instance, start with making just a cup of the lemon and lime mix by squeezing and mixing together:

1/2 cup lemon juice {about 3 lemons}

1/2 cup lime juice {about 4 limes}

1/2 oz. agave syrup

Tip: sweetening the citrus juices with the agave, saves you time and allows you to skip one extra ingredient so you can whip up more whiskey sours quicker, because I’m sure there will be more requests after they sample the first one. Just mix the whiskey and lemon/lime juice, shake, pour and garnish.

But of course, I strongly believe the key to tasty drinks and foods is from the touch of the hands incited by the heart and love that goes into it.

P.S. Have you ever wondered what the difference between bourbon and whiskey is? Find out here.