How To Make A Jack Rose

The Prohibition-era Jack Rose cocktail isn’t too well known these days, but it once enjoyed a spotlight in Ernest Hemingway’s “The Sun Also Rises,” and is considered one of bartender David Embury’s six essential drinks, as outlined in his book “The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks.”

Much like other forgotten cocktails from the era, the Jack Rose gained a second life during the cocktail renaissance of the early aughts, with many crediting New York City’s Pegu Club as reintroducing it to the growing ranks of mixed-drinks aficionados.

The cocktail’s build includes a base of apple brandy or applejack, combined with freshly squeezed lime juice and grenadine syrup.

Quality grenadine is a must when mixing the Jack Rose — none of that neon red, overly saccharine stuff. Instead, homemade is preferable, but higher-end bottled grenadines can be found in many liquor stores as well as online retailers. The finished shaken drink is typically served in a chilled Nick & Nora glass. Popular riffs include a splash of Champagne or Prosecco, providing a bright, bubbly twist on the classic.

Read on to mix up a Jack Rose of your own.