The Gold Rush is a Whiskey Sour that swaps simple syrup for honey. That single change — sugar to honey — deepens the whole drink, adding a floral, faintly waxy richness that suits bourbon perfectly.
Three ingredients, and not one of them optional.
Born at Milk & Honey
The Gold Rush was created in the early 2000s at Milk & Honey, the influential New York bar, by bartender T.J. Siegal. It belongs to a small family of Milk & Honey sours — alongside the Penicillin — that proved how much a classic template still had to give.
Honey Syrup, Not Honey
Neat honey seizes up in a cold drink. The fix is honey syrup: honey loosened with warm water, usually three parts to one, until it pours freely. It is the one piece of preparation the Gold Rush asks of you, and it is well worth it.
Up or on the Rocks
Served up in a coupe, the Gold Rush is elegant; over a large cube in a rocks glass, it is a slower, more contemplative drink. Both are common — the rocks version is closer to how Milk & Honey poured it.
The Whiskey Sour Family
The classic — bourbon, fresh lemon, and sugar, optionally with egg white for a silken foam.
- 2 ozBourbon
- 3/4 ozFresh lemon juice
- 3/4 ozSimple syrup
A Whiskey Sour crowned with a float of dry red wine — dramatic and balanced.
- 2 ozBourbon
- 3/4 ozLemon juice
- 1/2 ozRed wine
The Whiskey Sour shaken with egg white — a smooth, pillowy foam on top.
- 2 ozBourbon
- 3/4 ozLemon juice
- 1Egg white