Scotch Is The Secret For A Smoky Whiskey Sour Variation

If you appreciate perfectly balanced whiskey sours, you may want to consider the kind of booze you're using to build your drink. When a cocktail only calls for two or three ingredients, quality matters, and subtle differences in taste can have a big impact on a drink's final pour. Reaching for popular Scotch whisky can infuse your cocktail creations with some of the smokier notes Scotch is known for. 

Whiskey, lemon juice, and simple syrup make up the components of a classic frothy whiskey sour, and while some bartenders choose to eliminate the syrup or add other ingredients for variation, less can be more when it comes to shaking up a satisfying drink. Blended Scotch can offer a great starting point for your cocktail-making attempts, as these blends offer balanced, less punchy flavors that dance well with the simple zing of lemon.

Not all Scotch delivers peaty notes — some can be sweet or saline — but Scotland is best known for smoky drams of whisky. Islay, in particular, lends the kind of wet environment perfect for smoky blends, as barley takes longer to dry in such conditions and results in the peaty profile that settles into smoky sours.

Within the range of peaty, smoky whiskies, you'll find a continuum of expressions, so experiment with the intensity of flavors to find the combinations that work for your palate. When whiskey is aged in bourbon barrels, char inside the wooden barrels impacts the alcohol's taste, even when Scottish peat isn't involved. Outside of Scotland, smoky whiskies can be found in the United States, like Buffalo Trace and Frey Ranch. Johnnie Walker Black and Monkey Shoulder can deliver lighter smoky notes for your cocktail-wielding efforts, and if you want to sample international malts, Hakushu Distiller's Reserve bottles up a subtle smoky whisper perfect for a sour.

Should you find yourself with a bottle of Scotch that leans hard in the smoky, peaty category, you may need to temper the smoke with added ingredients. A quick splash of soda water or a frothy egg white can not only help build texture but also establish balance in your finished cocktail. Once poured and garnished, your well-made smoky sour can easily become the star of sippers stashed in your cocktail-slinging arsenal.