Delilah Cocktail

By
Colleen Graham
Photo of Colleen Graham
Colleen Graham
Freelance writer and cocktail book author Colleen Graham is a seasoned mixologist who loves sharing her knowledge of spirits and passion for preparing drinks.
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Updated on 04/1/21
Delilah cocktail
S&C Design Studios
Prep: 3 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 3 mins
Serving: 1 serving
Yield: 1 cocktail

The Delilah is a classic and somewhat forgotten cocktail that also goes by the names White Lady and the Chelsea Sidecar. It is a lovely and simple drink and is one of the fantastic recipes included in the Sidecar family of drinks.

Sidecar-like recipes include popular cocktails like the Margarita (tequila) and the Boston Sidecar (brandy and rum). They follow a very fundamental formula of base liquor, orange liqueur, and citrus fruit. In the case of the Delilah, you will use gin, Cointreau, and lemon. As with any sour drink, it's all about finding a balance between sweet and sour to create a taste to tickle your taste buds.

This is a fabulous cocktail, particularly with the right gin and fresh lemon juice. Experiment with some of the artisan gins that are available because there are some delightful bouquets to be found in this mix.

Ingredients

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, pour the gin, triple sec, and lemon juice.

  3. Shake well.

  4. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

  5. Serve and enjoy.

Choosing a Great White Lady Gin

Your White Lady can be an entirely new experience every time depending on the gin you choose. This makes the cocktail a fun one to play around with. It's also a perfect recipe to rely on while exploring new bottles of gin.

For a rather bold White Lady, opt for a traditional London dry gin like those from Beefeater, Tanqueray, or Martin Miller. When you're in the mood for something a bit more delicate, reach for a bottle of Aviation or Hendrick's. All of these are readily available and among the brands that every gin lover should know.

For those times when you feel like discovering a uniquely crafted gin, you'll find plenty of options as well. A bottle from The Botanist has a fascinating array of Scottish botanicals and Bloom is truly a garden in a glass.

Don't forget about the American craft gins, either. St. George Spirits and Leopold Bros. are two U.S. distilleries giving European gins a run for their money on this style of liquor. In fact, you might check with your local distillery to see if they're creating a gin you didn't know about. 

No matter which gin you choose to pour, stick with Cointreau or an orange liqueur of comparable quality and be sure your lemon juice is fresh. The White Lady is not a cocktail to be frugal with, so pour the best and enjoy.

How Strong Is the White Lady?

Though the cocktail looks all delicate and innocent, the White Lady packs a punch when it comes to the alcohol content. When made with an 80-proof gin and Cointreau, you can expect her to weigh in right around 25 percent ABV (50 proof). This isn't out of sorts, either, as the majority of alcohol-dominant gin martinis are just as strong.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
166 Calories
0g Fat
7g Carbs
0g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1
Amount per serving
Calories 166
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 6mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 7g 2%
Dietary Fiber 0g 1%
Total Sugars 6g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 3mg 16%
Calcium 2mg 0%
Iron 0mg 0%
Potassium 26mg 1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)