The White Lady Is A Cocktail Classic

Proving that you shouldn't judge a cocktail by its name, the White Lady Cocktail is a classic drink that's appropriate for multicultural cocktail connoisseurs. It's also easy to craft at home in just five minutes.

White Lady CocktailPhoto by2foodtrippers

The White Lady cocktail caught our eye because and despite of its name. Let's face it, the name 'White Lady' isn't exactly politically correct.

Not only does the name gender code the cocktail but it also excludes a majority of the population who represent a rainbow of colors including black and brown. In the era of cancel culture, we thought long and hard before we crafted White Lady cocktails at home.

We're glad we ultimately decided to give the politically incorrect drink a whirl. Not only is this classic gin cocktail easy to craft, but it also looks and tastes like a dream.

History of the White Lady Cocktail

History reveals that the White Lady cocktail was probably invented by a Harry... but we're not sure which Harry.

One inventor could be Harry MacElhone, a Scottish bartender who claims to have invented the White Lady in London before he purchased Harry's New York Bar in Paris. MacElhone's White Lady creation included crème de menthe but omitted egg white. This origin story has the most credibility and makes the White Lady a French cocktail.

However, it's possible that Harry Craddock, a British bartender at the American Bar at The Savoy Hotel and author of The Savoy Cocktail Club Book, invented the White Lady. If so, it's also possible that he named the white cocktail after Zelda Fitzgerald's platinum blonde hair. Either way, this Harry didn't add egg white to his White Lady either.

Is a White Lady Cocktail?

The White Lady cocktail is a gin cocktail that's both a classic sour cocktail and a member of the sidecar family. Plus, it's drink with multiple pseudonyms.

Also known as a Chelsea Sidecar, Delilah, Janikedvence and Lillian Forever, the White Lady has a bright flavor profile that tastes like summer. But it's not just a summer cocktail. Over the years, the White Lady has become a popular Christmas cocktail in Great Britain.

Pro Tip: Despite its genteel appearance and hoity-toity name, this Pre-Prohibition cocktail packs a punch.

Ingredients

Like most classic cocktails, the White Lady has a short and sweet ingredient list. You likely have all of the required items in your home bar and pantry:

• 2 ounces dry gin
• ½ ounce Cointreau
• ½ ounce lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
• 1 egg white (optional)
• lemon twist (garnish)
• ice cubes (for shaking)

Gin and triple sec are the White Lady's two key ingredients and required liquors. We choose to use Citadelle Gin de France and Cointreau when we craft White Lady cocktails at home.

Citadelle's dry gin has 19 botanicals and comes in a pretty blue bottle. Plus, it felt right to use this gin since we also use it when we craft Pink Lady cocktails.

Choosing to use Cointreau was a no-brainer. We adore the orange liqueur and previously added it to our Orange Creamsicle and French 75 cocktail recipes. Its gentle citrus flavor completes those drinks and the White Lady too.

How to Craft a White Lady

The first step in crafting a White Lady is to measure the gin, cointreau and fresh lemon juice. We use a Japanese jigger to both avoid spillage and ensure accurate measurements.

The second step is to separate and measure the egg white. You can skip this step if you're vegan or if you're uncomfortable with drinking raw egg product.

Warning: Your cocktail won't be foamy if you omit the egg white.

Pour the liquors, lemon juice and egg white into a cocktail shaker as you measure each. We like to use a Boston shaker for this and other cocktail recipes since it doesn't leak.

The fourth step, shaking the cocktail, has two parts:

First, vigorously shake the ingredients without ice for about 20 seconds. This process is called a 'dry shake' and allows the egg white to emulsify.

Next, after adding ice, shake the cocktail for another 20 seconds until the ingredients are thoroughly mixed and chilled.

Pro Tip: There's no need to 'dry shake' the cocktail if you omit egg white from the recipe.

The fifth step is to strain the cocktail into a coupe glass. We like to use one with a gold rim; however, you can use a small martini class or even a champagne flute instead.

Regardless of your preferred cocktail glass, garnish the finished White Lady with a lemon twist.

Variations

While the White Lady cocktail is ideal for both fancy functions and quiet nights at home, you may want to get creative with the milky white drink. Here are three ideas for those who want to flex their mixology muscles:

• Replace the gin with tequila and the lemon juice with lime juice to craft a Margarita cocktail.
• Replace the cointreau with grenadine syrup to craft a Pink Lady cocktail.
• Replace the gin with cognac to craft a Sidecar cocktail.

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