The Maple Whiskey Sour swaps simple syrup for maple, and it’s a small change that makes a big difference. This Maple Whiskey Sour recipe is bourbon, lemon and real maple syrup, and it tastes like a Whiskey Sour that has been somewhere cold and cosy.
It’s my go-to autumn sour. It’s richer than the standard version, and it’s even better with an egg white.
1
serving5
minutesBourbon, lemon juice, maple syrup and egg white, shaken and served over ice. Rich, tart and silky.
Ingredients
60 ml (2 oz) bourbon
30 ml (1 oz) fresh lemon juice
22 ml (¾ oz) maple syrup
1 egg white (optional)
2 dashes Angostura bitters
Ice
Orange slice, to garnish
Method
- Add the bourbon, lemon juice, maple syrup and egg white to a shaker without ice and shake hard for 10 seconds.
- Add ice and shake again for about 12 seconds.
- Strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice.
- Dot the foam with Angostura bitters and garnish with an orange slice.
Thomas’s tip
- Use real maple syrup, grade A dark if you can find it. Pancake syrup is sugar and colouring, and it makes a sad drink.
What does a Maple Whiskey Sour taste like?
Rich maple and bright lemon up front, with bourbon vanilla and oak behind and a silky texture from the egg white. It’s round, warm and balanced, with a long, sweet finish.
Tips for a better Maple Whiskey Sour
Dry shake first for a thick, silky foam.
Use dark maple syrup. It has more flavour and stands up to the bourbon.
Maple Whiskey Sour variations
Use rye for a spicier drink. Skip the egg white for a thinner version. For the standard version, make a Whiskey Sour, or for a stirred maple drink the Maple Old Fashioned.
Best whisky for a Maple Whiskey Sour
A bourbon with caramel and oak works best, because maple loves both. Look for 43% to 47%.
Maple Whiskey Sour: quick answers
What is in a Maple Whiskey Sour?
Bourbon, lemon juice, maple syrup and (optionally) egg white, shaken and served over ice.
Do I need egg white?
No, but it gives the drink a silky texture.
Can I use pancake syrup?
You can, but real maple syrup tastes far better.
Use real maple syrup, grade A dark if you can find it. Pancake syrup is sugar and colouring, and it makes a sad drink.
Thomas Grønvold is the founder of Caskable and a whisky enthusiast who believes the best way to learn about whisky is simply to drink it, compare it, and stay curious. From supermarket favourites to bottles from distilleries around the world, he writes about what he actually tastes and experiences, without pretending you need to be an expert to enjoy a good dram.
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