Happy Throwback Thursday, everyone! 

We think it has been well established by now that we here at The Woman At The Bar love whiskey. Specifically, American whiskey — aka, bourbon and rye. One of the frist drinks that turned us on to this delectable stuff was the classic Whiskey Sour, so it’s probably time that we cover that on the blog, don’t you think? 

The Whiskey Sour’s roots can be traced back to the 1870s, with the first mention of the drink appearing in (of all places) a newspaper article in Wisconsin. Traditionally, the drink is simply whiskey, lemon juice, and sugar — but we have been tinkering for quite some time to tweak the recipe just to give it a little somethin’ special. And come on, you know we did. 

But first, it is important to note that although many bartenders and drink recipes today call for bourbon to be used in a whiskey sour, the traditional (and in our opinion, far superior) choice is rye. Haters, go ahead and hate. 

Let’s get down to it. For The Woman At The Bar Whiskey Sour, you will need: 

• 2 oz rye (we recommend Bulleit) 
• 1 oz lemon juice 
• 1/4-1/2 oz maraschino liqueur (depending on how tart you want the drink) 
• 1/4 oz Aperol 
• Maraschino cherry, for garnish

Gather all of your ingredients plus your jiggers, fruit press, and cocktail shaker. 

First, squeeze 1 oz of lemon juice (about 1 lemon) and pour it into your shaker glass. 

Now add in your rye. 

Follow that up with your maraschino liqueur. Instead of using straight sugar we like to add the maraschino liqueur because it still adds a touch of sweetness, but picks up on the cherry flavor from your garnish, and adds an extra kick to the drink. Because honestly, if your choice is to sweeten with straight sugar or with more liquor, there really is no choice. Neither 1/4 or 1/2 oz will make your drink overly sweet, but if you prefer your sour on the sour-er side, only use 1/4. 

Finally, add in your 1/4 oz Aperol. Aperol is an aromatic liqueur in the Campari family, and gives the drink a little extra depth. 

Now add ice to your shaker, and shake that puppy for 20-30 seconds. 

Now fill your glass with ice, and strain that baby in there! 

Add your cherry, and you are good to go! 

A simple, delicious, and extremely classic cocktail for all occasions. 

Cheers, everyone!