White Lady recipe
A gin sidecar — elegant, citrusy, and deceptively strong.
Method: Shake ·
Glass: Coupe glass ·
Time: 3 min ·
Difficulty: Intermediate ·
Family: The Sidecar Family
Ingredients
- 1.5 oz London Dry Gin
- 1 oz Cointreau
- 0.75 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
How to make a White Lady
- Add gin, Cointreau, and lemon juice to a shaker with ice.
- Shake hard for 12-15 seconds.
- Strain into a chilled coupe glass.
- Garnish with a lemon twist.
Garnish
Lemon twist.
Pro tip
This is essentially a Sidecar with gin instead of cognac. The Cointreau provides both sweetness and orange flavor, so you don't need additional sugar. Shake it hard — you want it ice cold.
History of the White Lady
Created by Harry MacElhone at Ciro's Club in London in 1919, then refined at Harry's New York Bar in Paris. The original version used crème de menthe, but MacElhone switched to gin and Cointreau, creating the version we know today.
Flavour profile
Citrus, Botanical, Clean, Elegant
Variations
- White Lady with Egg White — Add egg white for a silky texture
- Chelsea Sidecar — The original name for this drink at The Savoy
- Corpse Reviver No. 2 — Add Lillet and an absinthe rinse
Practise making the White Lady in the free Virtual Bar game.