Whisky Sour Day
Smoke, Peat and Oak in a Glass
Some cocktails carry history, theatre and flavour in every sip. The Whisky Sour is one of them. A drink that’s stood the test of time, first appearing in the 19th century and still served in the finest bars today.
Classic Smoky Whisky Sour
When I first tried making a Whisky Sour some years back, I remember pausing at the egg white. Cracking raw egg into a shaker didn’t feel natural! However, after a good shake with lemon juice and sugar syrup, I discovered the magic: a frothy, velvety foam that sits on top like a soft meringue. Since then, it’s become one of those little details I really appreciate in the drink, with a texture that elevates the balance of whisky, citrus and sweetness.
This year’s Whisky Sour Day (Monday 25th August) felt like the perfect excuse to revisit the classic, so this year I brought something extra to the glass.
The whisky was no ordinary dram: a single malt from The Great Drams rare cask series, distilled at the Craigellachie distillery in Speyside and finished in an ex-Islay peated cask. That finishing touch gave it a smoky character that layered beautifully with the sharpness of lemon and sweetness of syrup.
Underneath the glass sat an oak board handmade by Rough Stuff Oak, marked with their distinct “Prison” brand. Rustic, solid and full of character, it carried the drink with the same authenticity as the whisky itself.
I found both the whisky and the board at the GoodFood Festival at Goodwood Racecourse earlier this summer, where I had the chance to meet Greg from The Great Drams and Matt from Rough Stuff Oak. Those connections added another layer to the story. What began as casual festival purchases became a creative photograph that tied together smoke, peat and oak in one scene.
To capture it, I set the drink on Matt’s oak board, garnished it with a flame-charred lemon slice and lit it with a single strobe. A gentle swirl of oak smoke from a smoker wrapped the glass, echoing the peated whisky inside.
The result? A photograph and a cocktail that pays tribute to tradition while celebrating craft and connection.
