How to Make a PROFESSIONAL Whiskey Sour

Step 1More important than even the quality of your ingredients is this -- knowing your audience. It will help you decide which glasses to exhibit, and which whiskey to purchase for the drink. You dare not insult or embarrass your guests with the wrong choices. I shall explain forthwith.

Step 2

A whiskey sour can be served in a whiskey glass or a sour glass. You MUST serve males in a whiskey glass, with NO garnish. You MUST serve females in a sour glass, WITH garnish (presliced fruit, usually orange and cherry).

Step 3

In deciding which whiskey to purchase, think about your guests. How well can they hold their drinks, how far do they have to drive, and what day is it? If your guests are younger, more naive, or it's a weekday, grab The Glenlivet or Glenfiddich, two popular brands. (I'm sorry, no JD. You're not in college throwing back cheap shots anymore; JUST - SAY - NO.) If your guests are a little more discerning, get something from the island of Islay. Note; these spirits are not for the financially meek of heart, nor are they to be wasted on the commonfolk. If both you and your audience are ready, go to BevMo and get Bowmore, Lagavulin, or Laphroaig. The cultured tongue will thank you.

Step 4

The hard part's over. Well, almost. The lemon juice MUST be fresh. That means, from a live lemon you just picked or bought. I must admit, this is easy in LA, because lemon trees abound. If you're not in that position, get the freshest lemon you can (a little green is actually good), and SQUEEEEEZE the juice out using a strainer or the Magic Bullet. Bullet's better cuz it doesn't leave all that annoying pulp. Yuck.

Take your shaker glass, fill it with 8 ice cubes, and mix, per drink: 3/4 oz lemon juice (fresh, right?) 1/4 oz sugar syrup, 1 barspoon powdered sugar, 1.5 oz whiskey. Shake, shake, shake shake shake shake. Feel the yummy. You can double these amounts to mix 2 drinks at once, but no more. The ingredients become too able to spread away from each other.

Step 5

Stream (pour without letting the ice get in) into your desired serving glass; add cherry. For the girls only. Have your help ask the males if they want a cherry.

Step 6

REMEMBER: Whiskey is a digestif - meant for after dinner, relaxing; when the party is winding down. Do NOT serve if you expect people to get up and dance and fornicate publicly.