(Durandor) Noor sits cloaked at the far end of the bar in a Drow tavern, looking over at a group that seems rather out of place. The half-orc insults the barkeep on his glassware maintenance while the high-elf, dwarf, and half-elf keep a lookout. A golden dragonborn asks the group if he can join up with them on their way out of the Underdark. Noor approaches this motley mix; he whispers to the high-elf that the vagabond should not be trusted.
THE Whiskey Sour. My nat 20. I considered other cocktails for my first post, but it felt traitorous to this glorious bastard. This cocktail was my gateway drink into the world of whiskey. I didn’t even like whiskey. Then I tasted a superbly made whiskey sour and, I don’t want to be dramatic, it changed my goddamned life. It’s why I created The Bourbon Dragon.
The Durandor blurb above is how my character, Noor, a blue dragonborn druid, was introduced to the rest of the PCs (player characters). The group had already been playing for a few months, so we had to work my character into the storyline. I was also completely new to DnD, which resulted in my asking the DM if I could roll for friendship (to anyone reading this that does not play DnD, you cannot merely roll for friendship).
That first session had me hooked and, despite a couple character deaths and additions, our group has continued in the same campaign for the past three years. Learning how to make a whiskey sour happened to coincide with my foray into DnD and, for Durandor, it was the drink that started my weekly specialty cocktail – D&D&Drinks, if you will.
This cocktail is bright and addictive, like those Warhead candies you and your friends would dare each other to eat in 4th grade. It has foamy body from the egg white and bite from the whiskey. It’s a whiskey drink for those that don’t like whiskey and a stalwart cocktail for those that do.
This drink is one of the top three things I do well, along with being able to assemble items without instructions and making compelling arguments to the DM to be able to attempt whatever half-baked plan my character has. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a simple drink but it’s incredibly easy to fuck up. A few tips: use fresh lemon juice, a fresh egg white, and a Boston shaker.
If you’re nervous about using egg white cracked right from the egg, don’t be. I understand that’s not the most persuasive argument from an attorney and I’m sure as shit not a pathologist, but based on the 10-second Google research I did and years of experience eating raw cookie dough, you should be fine.
The Whiskey Sour
Ingredients: Makes 1 cocktail, for 2 cocktails double everything except the egg white. Also, my ratios are built on my taste preferences. If you want it less/more sweet or sour, adjust to your liking.
- 2 oz Bourbon
- 1.5 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
- 1 oz Simple Syrup
- 1 Egg White
- Garnish option: 2-3 drops of Angostura Bitters, a Luxardo cherry, or both
Recipe:
- Add bourbon, lemon juice, egg white, and simple syrup to your shaker.
- Shake with ice for 20-30 Mississippi.
- Strain into a chilled coupe or low ball glass, no ice*
- Add a few drops of Angostura bitters and/or garnish with a cherry.
*Whiskey Sours are typically served straight but if you’re a slow sipper, you might want to put a big chunk of ice in your glass to keep the egg white chilled. It’s an individual preference.
The Bourbon Dragon 