Apricot and Averna Bourbon Sour

This bourbon sour has a nice bitter bite from the Averna to balance the sweetness of the apricot liqueur.

Bourbon Renewal Cocktail

This recipe comes from Jeffrey Morgenthaler of Portland's Clyde Common. Sweet crème de cassis mixes with oaky bourbon to produce a delicious take on the classic whiskey sour.

New York Sour

This simple twist on the whiskey sour made the rounds for several decades during the late 19th century under an assortment of names. A base of American whiskey (rye is the desired variety here) is fleshed out with a little fresh lemon juice and smoothed over with a touch of sugar; the crowning touch comes with a float of dry red wine.

Simple Whiskey Sour

Whiskey sour ingredients are as simple as they come: a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, a spoonful of sugar, and plenty of whiskey. For a Boston sour, add an egg white, too.

Navy-Strength Negroni Sour

You can make sours with whiskey, you can make sours with pisco, you can make sours with pretty much any spirit. So why not use an undiluted Negroni as the base spirit for your sour?

Kumquat Whiskey Sour

This recipe for a kumquat whiskey sour by Feizal Valli at the Hot & Hot Fish Club in Birmingham, Alabama is perfect for a little winter pick-me-up. It pairs the bright, zesty flavor of kumquats, fresh lemon, and lime juice with the rich warmth of whiskey. It's perfectly balanced and a little dangerous—it's so delicious, you're going to want more than one.

Frisco Sour

A complex rye cocktail in which Benedictine plays a small but delicious role, the Frisco Sour marries the spiciness of rye to the sweet herbal qualities of Benedictine. But because Benedictine's sweetness can so easily overpower other ingredients, it's held in check here by lemon juice. In this dry, bracing drink, rye takes the forefront.

The New Hickory Cocktail

This pungent twist on the classic Old Hickory Cocktail substitutes uses bittersweet, vegetal Cynar instead of sweet vermouth and dry Manzanilla sherry instead of dry vermouth

DIY Orange Bitters

Just a drop or two of orange bitters can add the right depth to your cocktail or bridge together ingredients that aren't quite living up to their mixological potential. Deep, citrusy, spicy, complex orange bitters are an essential part of so many balanced cocktails.

The Bitter Irishman

This St. Patrick's Day-appropriate cocktail is way better than green beer. The whiskey is light and almost floral, and the amaro is spicy and rich. Fresh lemon gives the drink a punch of refreshing sour flavor, and the drink finishes up with the whiskey's bite and a little bitterness from the amaro.