Scotch Sour

Difford’s Guide
Discerning Drinkers (167 ratings)
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    Scotch Sour

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Scotch Sour image

Serve in an Old-fashioned glass

Ingredients:
2 oz Blended Scotch whisky
5⁄6 oz Lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
1⁄2 oz Monin Pure Cane Syrup (65.0°brix, equivalent to 2:1 rich syrup)
1⁄2 oz Egg white (pasteurised) or Aquafaba (chickpea water) or 3 dashes Fee Brothers Fee Foam cocktail foamer
× 1 1 serving
Read about cocktail measures and measuring

How to make:

  1. Select and pre-chill an Old-fashioned glass.
  2. Prepare garnish of lemon and orange zest twists.
  3. SHAKE all ingredients with ice and strain back into shaker.
  4. DRY SHAKE (without ice) to emulsify.
  5. FINE STRAIN into ice-filled glass.
  6. Express lemon and orange zest twists over the cocktail and use as garnish.

Allergens:

Recipe contains the following allergens:

  • Egg white (pasteurised) - Eggs

Strength & taste guide:

No alcohol
Medium
Boozy
Strength 7/10
Sweet
Medium
Dry/sour
Sweet to sour 7/10
More cocktails with similar strength and taste profile

Review:

This cocktail is sadly often overlooked in favour of the bourbon-based Whiskey Sour.

Depending on the peatiness of the whisky, I don't tend to add bitters to a Scotch Sour. However, as David A. Embury says in his 1948 The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks, "Two dashes of Angostura to each drink constitute a pleasing addition to this drink. Lime juice may be used in place of lemon, but, to most tastes, lemon combines more pleasingly with whisky than does lime. Scotch or Irish may be used in place of rye or bourbon, but the smoky taste of Scotch does not combine pleasingly with citrus juices."

While I'm usually in full agreement with Embury, I vehemently disagree with his opinion regarding the pairing of peaty Scotch and citrus. And for evidence to back my argument, I call The Penicillin Cocktail.

View readers' comments

History:

See Whiskey Sour history

Nutrition:

One serving of Scotch Sour contains 193 calories

Alcohol content:

  • 1.3 standard drinks
  • 15.35% alc./vol. (15.35° proof)
  • 17.6 grams of pure alcohol

Difford’s Guide remains free-to-use thanks to the support of the brands in green above. Values stated for alcohol and calorie content, and number of drinks an ingredient makes should be considered approximate.

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Showing 8 comments for Scotch Sour.
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Loïc Pierre’s Avatar Loïc Pierre
30th December 2024 at 17:02
To my taste, excellent, even with a very basic whisky. A good way to make people that don't like whisky enjoy it.
2
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Peter McCarthy’s Avatar Peter McCarthy
18th June 2024 at 22:57
Should the `How to make` section include fine-straining given the egg?
1
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Simon Difford’s Avatar Simon Difford
19th June 2024 at 08:14
The foam from the egg will pass through the fine strainer, but the strainer will catch any curdled egg, and the chalaza and ensure the foam has a light texture.
2
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John Hinojos’ Avatar John Hinojos
2nd August 2023 at 00:35
I think this is my favourite sour. Everything is perfectly balanced with the taste of the Scotch Whisky in the spotlight.
Not sure why, but this did turn out to more foam than the other sours we have mixed.
Definitely a perfect cocktail for any time and any season.
5
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Andre Derailleur’s Avatar Andre Derailleur
4th April 2024 at 13:57
Mine produced more foam with less egg white than my normal whiskey sour. I also agree with other comments (and Simons) that with a Smokey whiskey there is no need for bitters. Finally, with aged liquors (rum, whiskey, brandy, etc) I prefer Peychaud bitters ver anga stour a.
1
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Martyn Conlon’s Avatar Martyn Conlon
1st April 2023 at 18:40
I love this cocktail, probably my favourite and often my go to. I like to make it with Laphroaig.
2
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Chris Dimal’s Avatar Chris Dimal
30th November 2022 at 10:57
Really good. Proud of myself for being able to get the foam this time as well! Used Chivas Regal 12 Year Old!
2
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Chris Dimal’s Avatar Chris Dimal
9th January 2023 at 14:19
Made it with our cheaper William Lawson's. While it had a strange tang at the start, the egg white still renders it as a luxuriant drink with a nice sour balance.
1
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Asher Günther’s Avatar Asher Günther
8th November 2022 at 03:05
No bitters at all?
1
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Simon Difford’s Avatar Simon Difford
8th November 2022 at 10:18
Not traditionally but down to personal taste. I've added a quote from Embury recommending 3 dashes of Angostura.
1
reply
Bertrand Péraut’s Avatar Bertrand Péraut
29th July 2021 at 17:37
The whisky sour (with bourbon) has three dashes of Angostura bitters in its recipe. However, David Embury suggests that Peychaud combines better than Angostura with scotch (in his recipe of the Bobby Burns). So, I tried adding three dashes of Peychaud in a Scotch Sour. You should try it too, in my opinion... ;-)
This cocktail is also great without any bitters.
2
reply
Memo Kare’s Avatar Memo Kare
27th June 2021 at 20:02
I made the same formula with Bourbon. It was tasty
0
reply
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