cocktaildna

Paris, France · 1929

White Lady

Also known as Delilah, Chelsea Sidecar

A crisp, gin-based sour with a bright orange edge and a clean, bracing finish.

citrusginsourorangecrispjuniperbracingclassic

%

ABV

Difficulty

White Lady

Overview

What this drink is like

The first sip hits you with sharp citrus and gin botanicals, followed by a rich, sweet orange middle from the liqueur. It finishes clean and slightly warming with a lingering juniper bite.

Who will like it

For people who like bright, sour, spirit-forward drinks where the base liquor isn't hidden.

When to drink

A solid pre-dinner drink to wake up your palate, or a late-night sipper when you want something quick and sharp.

Ordering tip

Ask for it with an egg white if you want a silkier texture and a thicker foam cap.

Ice: NoneTemp: ColdCost: $2–$4Glass: CoupeBatch-friendlyHome bar friendly

Flavor

Taste profile

This is a sharp, waking-up-your-mouth kind of drink. The gin cuts right through the sweet orange and tart lemon, leaving you with a clean, brisk sip that finishes with a warm gin bite. It's straightforward but has enough going on between the botanicals and citrus to keep it interesting.

Finish: The finish is dry and tart, with juniper and lemon peel lingering after the liquid is gone.

Primary tastes

sourherbalfruity

Secondary

sweetfloral

Aroma

lemon zestorange oiljuniper
  • Bitternesslow bitterness

    A faint bitter edge from the orange liqueur and lemon pith, but it stays in the background.

  • Sweetnessbalanced sweetness

    The orange liqueur brings enough sugar to balance the lemon juice without making it a sweet drink.

  • Sournesshigh sourness

    Fresh lemon juice gives this a sharp, mouth-puckering tartness that hits right away.

  • Strengthstrong

    It's mostly gin and liqueur, so the alcohol punch is very present behind the citrus.

  • Refreshingvery refreshing

    The heavy citrus and sharp chill make this a highly refreshing, palate-waking sip.

  • Creaminesslight body

    The texture is light and crisp, though adding egg white bumps this up to a silky medium body.

  • Complexitymoderate complexity

    The gin's botanicals weave through the orange and lemon, giving it more depth than a simple sour.

Recipe

Make it at home

Shaken · Coupe · equal parts on Gin. London Dry recommended for a crisp, juniper-forward bite

Before you start

Chill your coupe glass in the freezer for a few minutes and squeeze your lemon juice ahead of time so it's ready to pour.

Ingredients

  • GinBase SpiritLondon Dry recommended for a crisp, juniper-forward bite50ml
  • Orange LiqueurLiqueurCointreau or a quality Triple Sec25ml
  • Lemon JuiceJuiceFreshly squeezed25ml
  • Egg WhiteoptionalDairyAdds texture and foam; use aquafaba for vegan15ml
  • Lemon TwistGarnish1 twist

Garnish: Lemon twist

Tools

  • Cocktail Shaker · Shaking

    To chill, dilute, and mix the ingredients thoroughly

    At home: Mason jar with a tight lid

  • Jigger · Measuring

    To measure the spirits and juice accurately

    At home: Measuring spoons or a small shot glass

  • Hawthorne Strainer · Straining

    To catch the ice when pouring the drink into the glass

    At home: Slotted spoon

  • Coupe Glass · Serving

    To serve the chilled drink without ice

    At home: Any small stemmed glass

  • Fine Mesh Strainer · optional · Straining

    To catch ice shards and citrus pulp for a smoother drink

  • Citrus Juicer · optional · Other

    To extract juice from the lemon

    At home: Squeeze by hand

  • Peeler · optional · Garnish

    To cut a clean strip of lemon peel for the twist

    At home: Small sharp knife

Ingredients and tools to make White Lady
Ingredients and tools

Steps

  1. 1

    Measure 50ml of gin, 25ml of orange liqueur, and 25ml of fresh lemon juice using your jigger and pour them into the shaker. If you're using the egg white, add it now so it gets mixed in thoroughly.

    Step 1 — how to make White Lady

    !Pouring the egg white after the heavy liquids makes it harder to get out of the jigger.

  2. 2

    If you used egg white, seal the shaker and shake hard for about 10 seconds without any ice. This is a dry shake, and it whips the egg white into a thick foam before the ice waters it down.

    ~10s

    Step 2 — how to make White Lady

    !Skipping the dry shake leaves you with thin, soapy foam instead of a thick cap.

  3. 3

    Open the shaker, fill it to the top with ice, and seal it again. Shake hard for another 10 to 12 seconds until the outside of the shaker feels freezing cold and frosty.

    ~12s

    Step 3 — how to make White Lady

    !Shaking too softly won't chill the drink enough or dilute it properly, leaving the flavors harsh.

  4. 4

    Pop the shaker open and pour the drink through a Hawthorne strainer into your chilled coupe glass. If you want it really smooth, hold a fine mesh strainer over the glass and pour through both.

    Step 4 — how to make White Lady

    !Pouring too fast can splash the drink over the rim of the glass.

  5. 5

    Take your lemon peel and give it a good twist over the surface of the drink so the citrus oils spray across the top. Rub the peel along the rim of the glass, then drop it into the drink.

    Step 5 — how to make White Lady

    !Squeezing the peel too hard will drop bitter pith oil into the drink instead of fragrant zest.

Serve

Serve it right away in the chilled coupe while it's still icy cold and the foam is holding. Don't add ice to the glass.

Variations

Ingredient substitutions

Each row shows what you can swap in place of an original ingredient, and how the drink changes.

Swap options for Orange Liqueur

  • Orange LiqueurDry Curaçao
    Match
    Specialty availability

    Orange Liqueur → Dry Curaçao: Slightly richer and deeper orange flavor with a drier finish.

  • Orange LiqueurGrand Marnier
    Match
    Common availability

    Orange Liqueur → Grand Marnier: Adds a heavier, cognac-based weight and darker orange note.

Swap options for Lemon Juice

  • Lemon JuiceLime Juice
    Match
    Common availability

    Lemon Juice → Lime Juice: Makes it sharper and greener, turning the drink closer to a Gimlet.

Swap options for Gin

  • GinVodka
    Match
    Common availability

    Gin → Vodka: Removes the botanical notes entirely, leaving a flat but clean citrus drink.

Related

Similar cocktails

Cousin drinks that share DNA with this one — each profile stands on its own.

Sidecar

Similar cocktail

Sidecar

Sidecar uses brandy instead of gin, giving it a richer, warmer flavor.

Match

The Sidecar drinks heavier and warmer due to the cognac, while the White Lady is crisper and more aromatic.

In common: Sour family, citrus-forward, spirit and orange liqueur base

Ingredients

Both share

Orange Liqueur, Lemon Juice

Only in White Lady

Gin

Only in Sidecar

Cognac

Swapping gin for cognac shifts the drink from bright and botanical to rich and warming.

Flavor

Shared flavors

Sharp citrus bite, sweet orange middle, dry finish

How Sidecar differs

Warmer, heavier, less botanical

View recipe & details →

Gimlet

Similar cocktail

Gimlet

Gimlet uses lime juice and simple syrup instead of orange liqueur and lemon juice.

Match

The Gimlet is greener and simpler, while the White Lady has a broader, sweeter orange profile.

In common: Gin-forward, sharp citrus, short and shaken

Ingredients

Both share

Gin

Only in White Lady

Orange Liqueur, Lemon Juice

Only in Gimlet

Lime Juice, Simple Syrup

The White Lady uses orange liqueur for sweetness and depth, while the Gimlet relies on simple syrup and lime.

Flavor

Shared flavors

Juniper backbone, sharp citrus sourness, clean finish

How Gimlet differs

Greener, more straightforward, no orange notes

View recipe & details →

Margarita

Similar cocktail

Margarita

Margarita uses tequila and lime juice instead of gin and lemon juice.

Match

The Margarita is earthier and greener from the tequila and lime, while the White Lady is brighter and more floral.

In common: Sour family, orange liqueur sweetness, citrus-forward

Ingredients

Both share

Orange Liqueur

Only in White Lady

Gin, Lemon Juice

Only in Margarita

Tequila, Lime Juice

The agave spirit and lime in a Margarita replace the gin and lemon, shifting the flavor profile entirely.

Flavor

Shared flavors

Sweet orange liqueur body, sharp citrus sourness, strong spirit base

How Margarita differs

Earthy agave, greener citrus, often salted

View recipe & details →

History

Origin

Harry MacElhone invented the White Lady at Harry's New York Bar in Paris around 1929, though his original version used white cacao instead of orange liqueur. The modern recipe with gin and orange liqueur appeared later, and the Savoy Hotel in London also claims a role in popularizing the drink.

Creator
Harry MacElhone
Era
1920s
IBA
The Unforgettables
Data version
IBA 2020 spec
Confidence

The original 1929 recipe used white cacao; the modern standard uses orange liqueur. Egg white is traditional in some older recipes but omitted in the IBA spec.

Practical

Tips & pitfalls

What works at home and what to skip when making this drink.

Tips

Worth knowing before you pour

  • Shake hard to get proper dilution and chill.
  • Use fresh lemon juice; bottled juice makes it taste flat.
  • Cointreau is worth the splurge over cheap triple sec.
  • Dry shake first if you use egg white.

Avoid

Common mistakes

  • Don't skip the fresh citrus.
  • Avoid cheap, syrupy orange liqueur.
  • Don't over-shake or it gets watery.