White Lady
Gin, orange liqueur and fresh lemon shaken into a bright, elegant sour with a smooth foamy finish. Crisp and citrus-forward, with dry gin botanicals balanced by sweet orange and fresh acidity.
White Lady recepte
- Dry gin 40 ml
- Orange liqueur 30 ml
- Lemon juice 20 ml
- Cocktail foamer 3 dashes
- Fresh lemon 1 twist
- Ice 150 g
Make it properly
- Add the gin, orange liqueur, fresh lemon juice and cocktail foamer to a shaker.
- Shake vigorously without ice for about 10 seconds to begin building the foam.
- Add 150 g ice.
- Shake hard for another 10–12 seconds until thoroughly chilled and a smooth foam has formed.
- Double strain into a chilled coupe glass.
- Express a fresh lemon twist over the cocktail and use it as the garnish.
WHAT MAKES A GOOD WHITE LADY?
A good White Lady should be crisp, dry and citrus-forward while still feeling smooth and rounded.
Gin provides the botanical structure, orange liqueur adds sweetness and citrus depth, and fresh lemon gives the cocktail its sharp, refreshing edge.
The orange liqueur should soften the lemon without making the drink overly sweet. The finished cocktail should remain unmistakably gin-led, with a light silky foam bringing everything together.
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WHITE LADY RECIPE, INGREDIENTS & TIPS
The White Lady is a classic gin sour built from just three core flavours: gin, orange and lemon. Its structure is closely related to cocktails such as the Sidecar, but replacing Cognac with gin creates a lighter, more botanical drink. Orange liqueur performs two jobs at once. It brings both sweetness and citrus flavour, which means the White Lady does not normally require additional sugar syrup. For the Drinkero recipe, 40 ml gin, 30 ml orange liqueur and 20 ml fresh lemon juice create a clean balance between botanicals, sweetness and acidity.
THE BEST INGREDIENTS FOR A WHITE LADY
Choose a classic London Dry Gin with clear juniper and citrus notes. The gin needs enough character to remain noticeable alongside the orange liqueur.
Use a dry, high-quality orange liqueur. A triple sec style works particularly well because it provides concentrated orange flavour and sweetness without making the cocktail heavy.
Freshly squeezed lemon juice is essential. Bottled juice will not give the same clean acidity or fresh citrus aroma.
For the foam, we use Fee Brothers Fee Foam. Use 3 dashes per cocktail for a smooth texture and light, stable foamy head.
A simple lemon twist completes the drink and reinforces its fresh citrus aroma.
HOW TO BALANCE A WHITE LADY
The White Lady does not need sugar syrup because the orange liqueur already provides the sweetness.
Our standard balance is:
40 ml gin + 30 ml orange liqueur + 20 ml lemon
The gin remains the base of the drink, while the orange liqueur rounds out the sharpness of the fresh lemon.
If the lemon is particularly acidic, a very small adjustment to the orange liqueur can soften the drink, but avoid making it overly sweet.
The first impression should be fresh lemon and orange, followed by dry gin botanicals and a clean citrus finish.
THE STORY BEHIND THE WHITE LADY
The White Lady emerged during the early 20th century and developed into the gin, orange liqueur and lemon combination recognised today.
Like many classic cocktails, its recipe evolved before settling into the familiar sour-style structure.
Its close relationship to the Sidecar is easy to see: both combine a base spirit with orange liqueur and fresh citrus. Using gin instead of Cognac gives the White Lady a lighter, drier and more botanical personality.
Its pale appearance and elegant presentation helped make it one of the recognisable gin cocktails of the classic cocktail era.
HOW TO GET THE FOAM RIGHT
Add the gin, orange liqueur, fresh lemon juice and 3 dashes of Fee Brothers Fee Foam directly to the shaker.
Shake first without ice for around 10 seconds. This aerates the ingredients and begins creating the foam.
Add ice and shake firmly for another 10–12 seconds until thoroughly chilled.
Double straining removes small ice fragments and produces a cleaner texture, allowing the light foam to sit evenly across the surface.
HOW TO SERVE A WHITE LADY
Serve the White Lady straight up in a chilled coupe glass.
No fresh ice is needed after shaking.
Express a lemon twist over the surface before adding it as the garnish. The citrus oils give the drink an immediate fresh aroma.
The finished cocktail should be pale ivory to very light yellow, with a smooth white foam layer and a clean citrus aroma.
Questions about the White Lady
What gin is best for a White Lady?
A London Dry Gin works particularly well because its juniper and citrus character gives the cocktail a crisp, structured base.
What orange liqueur should I use?
A dry triple sec-style orange liqueur is ideal. It provides both orange flavour and the sweetness needed to balance the lemon.
Does a White Lady need sugar syrup?
No. The orange liqueur already provides sweetness, so additional sugar syrup is normally unnecessary.
How much Fee Brothers Fee Foam should I use?
Use 3 dashes per cocktail.
Do you need to dry shake a White Lady?
Not strictly, but it helps. With Fee Brothers Fee Foam, a short dry shake before adding ice helps create a smoother and more even foam.
Can I make a White Lady without cocktail foamer?
Yes. The cocktail will still have the same gin, orange and lemon flavour profile, but its texture will be lighter and it will not have the same silky foamy surface.
What is the difference between a White Lady and a Sidecar?
Both use orange liqueur and fresh citrus, but the White Lady uses gin, while the Sidecar traditionally uses Cognac or brandy.
Is it an IBA cocktail?
No. The White Lady is not currently included on the official IBA cocktail list. You can read more about the cocktail and its classic gin, orange liqueur and lemon structure in the Difford’s Guide White Lady recipe