This apple whisky sour is a delightful twist on the popular classic. Enjoy this satisfying cocktail in autumn or winter when the stores and farmers' markets are stocked with fresh apple cider. This has quickly become one of my favourites, and will surely be missed when cider season is officially over until next autumn.

A cocktail glass beside an apple and flowers.

Ingredients

Bourbon whiskey: In bourbon-based cocktails, I often use Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon. It's quite affordable and yet has a delicious buttery and nutty flavour profile that blends so well.

Apple cider: Look for apple cider in the stores and farmers' markets starting around fall. I used a sweet honeycrisp cider. Don't use mulled cider for this recipe.

Lemon juice: A staple in the classic version.

An apple whisky sour beside a red apple and white flowers.

Egg whites: Egg whites are necessary to create the delicious foam on top of this cocktail. I find it's easiest to buy a little jug of pasteurized egg whites, though you can separate the whites from eggs yourself. Check out this guide on how to separate egg whites safely to prevent bacteria from getting into your cocktail.

Simple syrup: I think that ¼ oz of this sweetener is perfect for this drink, but you can adjust it to make the cocktail more or less sweet to your preference.

Angostura bitters: Infused with flowers, herbs, and spices, this Spanish concoction has been adding flavour to drinks and food since 1824. We add it to give delicious, herbal depth and aromatics to the cocktail.

Overhead shot of angostura bitter drops shaped into hearts on top of a cocktail, beside a red apple.

How to make it

This delicious cocktail only takes two minutes to make. Start by adding all of the ingredients, except for the angostura bitters, into a cocktail shaker. Dry shake (meaning to shake without ice) for thirty seconds, then add some ice and shake for another twenty seconds.

Strain the apple whisky sour into a coupe glass and top with the bitters. If you want to make the bitters look like little hearts as I have, use a dropper to place the bitter drops where you want them. Then, drag a toothpick through the foam, downwards through the centres of the drops to form hearts.

Interested in another apple-based cocktail? I think you will absolutely love my Honeycrisp Apple Sangria.