March 7th, 2006

Ward Eight

Posted by The Home Bartender in Vintage Cocktails, Obscure Cocktails, Bourbon Drinks

Charles Swift at the City Record and Boston News-Letter gives us the history of the Ward Eight political machine in Boston. And, just as importantly for our purposes, he revives a vintage cocktail recipe for the Ward Eight, which reputedly was invented at Locke-Ober at turn-of-the-century. The drink’s a variation on a whiskey sour, with a bit of grenadine and orange added in. Using Woodford Reserve bourbon, which I normally find too smoky-tasting for my manhattans, I gave the Ward Eight a try, and it’s excellent. It’s balanced enough to appeal to drinkers who aren’t huge bourbon fans.

Charles gives the recipe, but I’ll repeat it here.

Ward Eight
1 1/2 jiggers rye or bourbon
juice of half a lemon
splash of orange juice
dash of grenadine
scant teaspoon sugar

Shake with ice and pour into a cocktail glass.

3 Responses to ' Ward Eight '

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  1. Charles Swift said,
    on March 7th, 2006 at 10:11 am

    Thanks for the link and I’m glad you gave the Ward Eight a try. I generally prefer it without the orange juice, which seems less authentic to me, but I find it a good winter drink. The lemon juice helps ward off scurvy as well so that’s a secondary bonus. Shoot me an email if you want–I have a few suggestions for you about some good books on cocktails and drinking spots.

  2. dannyvee said,
    on March 10th, 2006 at 3:44 pm

    http://www.bostonmagazine.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/spirits.detail/id/2b404eea-18be-435c-a4e8-f9a455e5c4b3/
    A good article that I thought you’d find interesting about the Jack Rose Society and their research of the Ward Eight.
    dannyvee

  3. The Home Bartender said,
    on March 11th, 2006 at 11:37 am

    Great article. Thanks.

    Will have to try a Jack Rose, too, for that matter.

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