Ward Eight
Rye, lemon, a little orange and real grenadine, shaken. A rosy Boston whiskey sour with a political name.
- MethodShaken
- GlassCoupe
- IceNone (served up)
- Strengthabout 16.3% ABV
- BaseWhiskey
- Tastesour, fruity, strong
Recipe
| 60 ml 2 oz | Rye whiskey or Bourbon |
| 22.5 ml ¾ oz | Fresh lemon juice |
| 15 ml ½ oz | Fresh orange juice |
| 15 ml ½ oz | Grenadine (pomegranate syrup) |
Garnish. A cocktail cherry dropped in the glass; an orange twist is a common alternative.
Method
- Chill a coupe.
- Shake all the ingredients hard with ice for 12 to 15 seconds.
- Double strain into the chilled coupe and add the cherry.
About the Ward Eight
The Ward Eight is a whiskey sour coloured and sweetened with grenadine, with a little orange juice for roundness. Made with rye and real pomegranate grenadine it is tart, fruity and spicy; with cheap red syrup it turns sweet and flat. It is Boston's best-known contribution to the classic canon.
History
Documented
The drink is named after Boston's eighth ward, the political base of the Democratic boss Martin Lomasney. It was in print in Boston by 1907, when a newspaper column called it the most talked-of drink in the city, and recipes vary a good deal from book to book: some leave out the orange juice, the grenadine or both, and some add soda.
Legend and lore
The standard story says it was invented at the Locke-Ober restaurant on election eve in 1898 to celebrate Lomasney's win. Lomasney did not drink, the bartender usually named started there later, and the story first appears in print decades afterwards. Other bars and bartenders in Boston have been credited too.
Disputed or unclear: The date and place of creation are not known; the 1898 date in particular rests on a story first printed long after.
Variations
- Whiskey Sour. The plain parent, with sugar instead of grenadine and no orange.
- Jack Rose. Apple brandy, lemon and grenadine: a close cousin.
- Long Ward Eight. Served over ice in a tall glass and lengthened with soda water, as some early recipes do.
Bartender's notes
- Use a grenadine made from pomegranate; it is tart as well as sweet.
- If it tastes sweet, cut the grenadine back to 7.5 ml rather than adding lemon.
