White Lady
Gin, orange liqueur and lemon with egg white. A crisp, pale classic from the Savoy era.
Shaken · Coupe · Advanced · about 3 minutes · about 19% ABV
Ingredients
- 40 ml Gin
- 30 ml Triple sec / Cointreau
- 20 ml Fresh lemon juice
- 1 Egg white
- Lemon twist (garnish)
Method
- Chill the glass
- Pour 40 ml gin into the shaker
- Pour 30 ml Triple sec / Cointreau into the shaker
- Add 20 ml fresh lemon juice
- Add 1 egg white
- Dry shake
- Add ice
- Shake hard
- Strain
- Garnish
Tip
Leave out the egg white for a sharper, cleaner version.
About the White Lady
Harry MacElhone created a White Lady with crème de menthe in London in 1919, then a gin version in Paris in 1929. Harry Craddock printed the gin, Cointreau and lemon recipe in the Savoy Cocktail Book in 1930.
The daisy family. The daisy is a sour sweetened with an orange liqueur or another cordial instead of plain sugar. Daisies appear in American bar books from the 1870s. The Sidecar, the White Lady and the Margarita (Spanish for "daisy") all belong to this family, which is why their recipes look so alike.
White Lady FAQ
What's in a White Lady?
40 ml gin, 30 ml triple sec / cointreau, 20 ml fresh lemon juice, 1 egg white, garnished with lemon twist.
How strong is a White Lady?
About 19% ABV once mixed with ice, which is 2.2 Australian standard drinks per serve. That is stronger than a glass of wine.
Should I shake or stir a White Lady?
Shake it. Egg needs hard shaking to foam, and citrus, juice and cream need shaking to mix properly and gain a light, lively texture.
What glass do you serve a White Lady in?
A coupe, about 180 ml. Chill the glass first and serve without ice. No coupe? Use a martini glass or small wine glass.
