WHISKEY SOUR

The first written recipe for a Whiskey Sour appeared in 1862, when it was included in Jerry Thomas’ “The Bartender’s Guide.” However, it’s very likely that sours (made with any liquor) had existed for many decades prior, as they were popular drinks on board naval ships. With long months spent at sea, sailors ran a major risk of malnutrition, and the threat of developing scurvy as a result seemed imminent. Scurvy, a disease linked to a lack of vitamin C, can cause the body to develop anemia, exhaustion, and spontaneous bleeding that eventually leads to infection and death. Given the disease’s painful symptoms, sailors began searching for a way to evade the condition with the small rations they had on board. It had been discovered, forgotten, and rediscovered several times that eating citrus was an effective way to combat scurvy, so ships often left port with rations of lemons, limes, or oranges for sailors to eat. Since refrigeration was not available, sailors would stow liquor like rum, whiskey, or gin on board to have something safe to drink during long journeys. Over time, the citrus (usually lemon) was mixed with a liquor and water to create a drink that would not only quench thirst, but also effectively prevent the onset of scurvy.