White Lady - Recipe & Instructions

White Lady
The White Lady is a short gin cocktail made with Cointreau or triple sec, lemon juice and an optional egg white for a smooth texture. It is also know as a Delilah or a Chelsea Sidecar (with the same ingredients as a Sidecar cocktail, but with gin in place of brandy).

Two mixologists lay claim to being the creators of the White Lady. The first is Harry MacElhone, who reportedly created the White Lady when working at Harry's New York Bar in Paris in 1929. Meanwhile, according to the American Bar at the Savoy Hotel, the cocktail was devised there by Harry Craddock and the recipe appears in the Savoy Cocktail Book published in 1930. Neither of the reportedly original recipes used egg white and this has been a contemporary addition.

To make a White Lady you will need the following equipment:

Shaker & Strainer
Spirits Measure

Recipe: Ingredients & Garnish

Ingredients - White Lady

Gin (50ml / 2oz)
Lemon Juice (25ml / 1oz)
Triple Sec (25ml / 1oz)
1 Egg White (optional)
Lemon Peel (for garnishing)
Ice (for shaking)

Method: How to Make a White Lady

1. Add all of the ingredients to a shaker (without ice) and shake to mix the ingredients and emulsify the egg white.
2. Add ice to the shaker and shake again.
3. Strain into a coupe glass or martini glass.
4. Garnish with lemon peel.

White Lady: How To Video

How to make a White Lady - from our classic gin cocktail series with Alex from The Cocktail Vibe & featuring Highclere Castle Gin.

We love to see your cocktails!
If you've enjoyed this recipe, post a snap of your cocktail creations on social media, tag @theginguide and we'll share our favourite cocktail pics! Be sure to subscribe on YouTube for all the latest recipe.

Which Gins are Best for a White Lady?

It is always worthwhile experimenting with different gins to find your perfect combination in a White Lady, but here are 5 options that are great starting points and well worth trying - each with links to our review and links to buy them direct from the producer or via popular retailers if preferred. Let us know your favourites on Instagram or via email.

Gin 1689