Since the beginning of the craft cocktail renaissance, there's been a creative explosion of new drinks. If you're dizzy with the burden of too much choice, there's nothing wrong with sticking to the classics, and then adding a few twists. How does a drink become a classic? Experts agree it's not just about great taste, they're also simple to make and use ingredients that are easy to find. The Whiskey Sour is from Cocktail Codex, named one of the best books of the year by the Chicago Tribune and winner of the James Beard Award for "Best New Cocktail or Bartending Book". Cheers.

• 2 oz Elijah Craig Small Batch bourbon
• ¾ oz fresh lemon juice
• ¾ oz simple syrup 
• 1 lemon wedge for garnish

For Simple Syrup:

• 1 ¼ white sugar
• 1 cup filtered water

• Shake all the ingredients with ice.
• Strain into double old-fashioned glass over  1 large ice cube.
• Garnish with the lemon wedge.

Simple Syrup:

• Put the sugar and water in a bowl and whisk until the sugar has dissolved.
• Transfer to a storage container and refrigerate until ready for use (up to 2 weeks).

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