Smoky Whisky Sour

Smooth and delicious. An amazing creamy texture, with a sweet citrus taste balanced by whisky smoke. Fresh lemon keeps it bright and clean, lifting the foam and sharpening the edges so the peat never feels heavy. A final twist of orange oil across the surface pulls the citrus forward and lets the smoke roll in behind this Smoky Whisky Sour— coastal, unmistakable, and lingering long after the last sip.

Easy
1-3 min

ingredients and how to craft

Ingredients

40 Oak select
20 Fresh Lemon Juice
20 Sugar Syrup
20 Egg White / Aquafaba

How to craft the Smoky Whisky Sour

First Step

Mix the ingredients in a shaker.

Second Step

Dry Shake without ice for 30 seconds. Add ice and shake again until the tin turns properly cold.

Third Step

Double-strain into Rocks glass over cubed ice.

Complete your cocktail with

Why is this Scotch Whisky Sour so smoky?

Because the smoke is built in. This Scotch Whisky Sour is made with Oak Select, our most approachable expression — a blend of single malts drawn from multiple cask types and finished in virgin American oak, designed to let Laphroaig’s signature medicinal peat smoke and seaweed shine, with space for brighter notes like red fruit, lime and a floral finish. In a Scotch Sour Drink, lemon keeps the drink lifted and clean, while the creamy texture carries aroma straight to the nose — so the peat reads bold, but balanced.

If that’s your kind of smoke, point them towards another serve that leans into it differently: the Smoky Expresso Martini, described as a smoky twist on the classic where the caffeine kick gets a matching smoky punch — built with 10 Year Old Sherry Oak Finish, coffee liqueur and espresso, finished with grated chocolate.

Learn More About Oak Select

The right Laphroaig whisky for a Smoky Whisky Sour

The beauty of a Smoky Whisky Sour is its versatility: a classic structure of citrus, sweetness and creamy texture that can be tuned — brighter, bolder, richer — without ever losing its edge. That’sexactly why Laphroaig Oak Select is such a strong foundation for the serve. It’s an approachable peated whisky that still carries the unmistakable Laphroaig signature, so the Scotch Sour Cocktail stays smooth and crowd-pleasing while the smoke remains present and recognisable, never diluted into the background.

If you want to turn the dial towards pure Islay intensity, our 10 Year Scotch is the natural step. The high, bold smokiness stands up to lemon juice and syrup, ensuring the “smoky” element is not lost — it cuts through the creamy texture and leaves a drier, more uncompromising finish that feels unapologetically Laphroaig. And if your preference is for something rounder and more polished, Quarter Cask shifts the balance in a different direction: the extra oak maturation adds a sweeter, smoother profile, making for a more balanced, sophisticated Laphroaig Sour where smoke and citrus sit in tighter harmony.

Why peat is important?

Islay smoke in a Laphroaig Sour

That unmistakable smokiness in a Smoky Whisky Sour doesn’t come from technique — it comes from Islay. Laphroaig’s character is shaped by the island: Atlantic air, coastal conditions and a peat-driven style that’s become our signature. In this cocktail, lemon and a creamy texture simply give that smoke a clean stage — bright enough to lift it, smooth enough to let it linger.

If you want to go deeper than the glass, follow the smoke back to its source and discover the home that made it: the Isle of Islay.

Learn more about Islay

The Laphroaig Paloma

Introducing: The Laphroaig Paloma, where peat, salt, and fire meet in a zesty, refreshing cocktail. The perfect way to introduce Laphroaig to new friends or to sample your bottle of Laphroaig 10 Year Old in a new way.

Easy
3-5 min

All Cocktails

The Other Island

We have a new Friend: Willem Dafoe. The occasion called for an unphorgettable cocktail – and that’s where renowned New York mixologist, Meaghan Dorman, came in. Meaghan poured her experience of conjuring up bar-side magic into the creation of a brand new serve: Willem Dafoe’s signature Laphroaig cocktail, The Other Island.