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White Lady
Posted: July 17, 2026
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About
The White Lady is a gin-based sour that's the elegant sibling of the Sidecar — gin replaces Cognac while Cointreau and fresh lemon juice provide the same bright, citrus-driven balance. Created in 1919 by Harry MacElhone at Ciro's Club in London and later refined at Harry's New York Bar in Paris, it became a favorite of literary expats like F. Scott Fitzgerald. Deceptively simple and beautifully balanced, the White Lady is the purists' gin sour — refined, tart, and clean.
Instructions
- Combine gin, Cointreau, and lemon juice in a cocktail shaker filled with ice.
- For a silkier texture, add half an egg white and dry shake first (without ice) for 10 seconds, then add ice and shake again.
- Shake vigorously for 10–15 seconds until well chilled.
- Fine-strain into a chilled coupe.
- Garnish with a lemon twist.