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The White Lady

Gin lovers rejoice! We’ve got the perfect cocktail for you. If you’ve never heard of it before, allow us to introduce the White Lady Cocktail.

The White Lady

The White Lady goes by many names: Chelsea Sidecar, Delilah, etc. She is a form of Sidecar using gin instead of brandy, and two famous bartenders claim the honor of having invented her.


How to Make a White Lady Cocktail

The White Lady

White Lady

Yield: 1
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes

Wonderfully light and refreshing, the White Lady is an elegant cocktail that never disappoints.

This is the classic version of the famous cocktail, so no need for egg whites, unless you want them!

Ingredients

  • 1.5 ounces of a London dry gin
  • .75 ounce of Triple Sec
  • .75 ounce of freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 Egg White
  • Dash of sugar syrup (optional)

Instructions

  1. Add all ingredients into a cocktail shaker without ice and dry shake.
  2. Add ice and shake again until chilled.
  3. Strain and serve in a chilled cocktail glass.

Did you make this recipe?

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White Lady Cocktail Origins

This cocktail may have been invented by Harry Craddock, bartender at The American Bar at the Savoy. His original recipe for something that is mostly like this drink was printed in the 1930 Savoy Cocktail Book.

 

 
 
 
 
 
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A post shared by Franzi & Alex | Gins & Drinks (@gin.loving.couple)

In it, he calls for fresh lemon juice, gin, egg white, and orange liqueur to be served in a Martini glass. According to the book, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s famously platinum blonde wife enjoyed the creation, and it was named after her.

However, Harry MacElhone from Dundee also claims to be the brain behind this drink, and his claim at least has the merit of being a lot earlier. In 1919, he was working at London’s Ciro’s Club and made something much like the Delilah except for one small (and by small, we mean giant) detail: instead of using gin, it used crème de menthe.

Most of us who have ever had crème de menthe can testify that when you swap it for gin, you’ve got something entirely different. According to MacElhone, he was working at Harry’s New York bar in Paris later on when it occurred to him to swap the crème de menthe for gin.


A Lady of Fame

Whoever was the originator of this fine drink, it has been appreciated by drinkers ever since.

a bartender garnishing a white lady cocktail

Famed comedy duo Laurel and Hardy pronounced it their favorite, and in The Looking Glass War by John Le Carré, his spy protagonist has a particular penchant for this drink despite its reputation as “feminine” and is constantly attempting to get other agents to try one.


Cheers!

Modern versions tend to use sweeter Cointreau, which means you can skip the sugar. Some modern versions of the White Lady cocktail even call for egg whites!

If you’re worried about raw egg whites, be sure to use free-range chicken eggs from a known and trusted source. With or without the egg white, though, you’ll enjoy this refreshing delight.

The White Lady
Please drink responsibly, be fully accountable with your alcohol consumption, and show others respect.

Written by Paul Kushner

I have always had a deep interest in the restaurant and bar industry. My restaurant experience began in 1997 at the age of 14 as a bus boy. By the time I turned 17 I was serving tables, and by 19 I was bartending/bar managing 6-7 nights a week.

In 2012, after a decade and a half of learning all facets of the industry, I opened my first restaurant/bar. In 2015, a second location followed, the latter being featured on The Food Network’s Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.

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