Whiskey Sour

Whiskey is definitely a spirit I've come to appreciate relatively recently in my history of consuming alcohol and the first way I ever consumed it was in a whiskey sour, on a friend's recommendation. Now I'd never touch anything with commercial sweet-and-sour mix (it's just way too saccharin for my taste), but I still enjoy the combination of sweet and sour flavors with all different types of whiskeys. My new passion for craft cocktails (and craving for a whiskey-based cocktail one night) led me to look up this recipe, which I was delighted to discover was as simple as I'd hoped it would be. Like with so many other things, a few simple ingredients can become way more than the sum of their parts, provided the ingredients are high-quality and fresh. Some things are classic and ever-popular for a reason, and this cocktail falls squarely into that category. It's sweet, it's sour, and blends beautifully with the flavor profile of a wide variety of whiskeys, though it's probably most commonly made with bourbon. If you've just had whiskey sours made with rail whiskey and commercial sweet-and-sour mix, you'll be amazed at how delicious this drink can be when you take the time to make it yourself from scratch with good ingredients. Slainte Mhath!

Whiskey Sour
adapted just slightly from Food and Wine
serves 1

Ice 
2 ounces bourbon (or other whiskey)
1 ounce fresh lemon juice 
1/2 ounce simple syrup 
1 Maraschino cherry skewered with 1/2 orange wheel or lemon slice, for garnish 

1. Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add the bourbon, lemon juice and simple syrup and shake well. Strain into an ice-filed rocks glass and garnish with cherry and orange wheel.