Jack Rose

The scientific formula, and famous apple, which figure into this clever puzzle box are a century older than the spirit we will use in our cocktail, but the seeds were being planted at the time.  William Laird came from Scotland to Pennsylvania in 1698 and began what would become the oldest commercial distillery in the US, Laird and Company, founded in 1780 by his grandson Robert.  Their apple based spirit, known as applejack, runs through the course of early American history.  George Washington made his own based on the Laird recipe in 1763, and the Laird family supplied applejack to the troops in the American Revolution.  Abraham Lincoln served it at his saloon in 1833 for the same price as a night’s lodging (12 cents).  William Harrison was famous for passing it out at his rallies leading up to his presidential election (not a bad platform).  Applejack was originally a pure unblended apple spirit, and this version is still available as apple “brandy”. Laird’s 12-year aged apple brandy rivals a fine cognac.  Modern applejack, by law, is now a blend of 35% apple brandy with 65% grain spirit, aged for four years in old bourbon barrels.  

The Jack Rose, circa 1910

With such a long history, there is no doubt that applejack was mixed into cocktails long before anyone wrote down the recipe, so tracing the origins of the “Jack Rose” gets a bit murky but there are plenty of stories.  Like a whiskey sour, the Jack Rose uses applejack and citrus (originally lime, now lemon) and is sweetened with grenadine rather than simple sugar.  Grenadine, from the French word for pomegranate “grenade”, is best made fresh from either Pom juice or even fresh squeezed fruit, but can be store bought.  The syrupy sweet store versions will be vastly different and change the drink, however.  Sometime around the turn of the 20th century this combination of apple”jack” and pink grenadine was likely dubbed the “Jack Rose” cocktail, and recipes emerged in 1908.  A more exciting story involves a gangster of the era also known as Jack Rose (among other names) for whom the drink may have been named.  The drink remains a classic due to its simplicity, balance, and taste – it’s delicious.  So mix up some history and ponder something “new ton-ight”.  Cheers!

This apple's not far from the tree!

The Jack Rose (adapted from Jim Meehan’s PDT Cocktail Book):

2 oz Laird's Applejack

3/4 oz fresh lemon juice

3/4 oz homemade grenadine

Shake over ice and strain into a favorite glass.