Cherry Whiskey Sour Cocktail Recipe
I make a Cherry Whiskey Sour with fresh, simple ingredients—nothing complicated. For me, it’s all about balance, making sure every step adds something to the flavor or the look.
Equipment
- Cocktail shaker
- Jigger or measuring spoons
- Citrus juicer
- Fine strainer
- Bar spoon
- Small rocks glass
- Cocktail pick
Ingredients
- Bourbon whiskey 2 oz 60 ml
- Lemon juice 3/4 oz 22 ml
- Simple syrup 3/4 oz 22 ml
- Cherry syrup* 1/2 oz 15 ml
- Bitters optional 1-2 dashes
- Cocktail cherry 1 for garnish
- *Or use 3-4 fresh cherries muddled.
Instructions
- I toss the bourbon, lemon juice, simple syrup, and cherry syrup (or muddled cherries) into a cocktail shaker. If I’m feeling it, I’ll add a dash or two of bitters.
- Then I fill the shaker with ice, snap the lid on, and shake hard for about 15 seconds. I want everything really cold and mixed up.
- Using a fine strainer, I pour the cocktail into a rocks glass loaded with fresh ice. To finish, I pop a cocktail cherry on a pick for garnish.
- If I’ve muddled cherries in the drink, sometimes I’ll throw an extra one on top because why not?
Notes
I always go for freshly squeezed lemon juice—bottled stuff just tastes kind of flat. The whiskey you choose changes things up: rye brings more spice, while bourbon is softer and sweeter.
If I want it less sweet, I just dial back the simple syrup. No cherry syrup? Muddling fresh, pitted cherries works just fine.
Sometimes I’ll use more than one cherry for a bigger fruit kick. I like to chill my glass before pouring in the drink, just to keep it cold longer.
I serve it right away—fresh is best.