The Jack Rose fell out of favor for long enough to drag applejack down with it. This wasn’t entirely the fault of applejack, but rather one of the key supporting ingredients, grenadine. For a long time the only available Grenadine was that neon red stuff that was basically sugar. While perfect for Shirley Temples, it lacked the substance to balance out the Jack Rose. Since Applejack only has a few classic cocktails that rely on it, this meant that both Applejack and the Jack Rose would have to wait until the mid 2000s for a revival.
Jack Rose
The Applejack is a delightfully balanced combination of bright apple fruit flavors laced with touches of pomegranate and hints of citrus. When made with Calvados, this drink takes on a more earthy flavor, while apple brandy will allow the pome fruits to shine. Use applejack and the grenadine and citrus get the upper hand while apple notes play background. Overall, it’s a great cocktail that allows the personality of the base spirit to shine through.
Drink Notes & Recommendations
The Jack Rose’s citrus has to be among the disagreed upon cocktail ingredients of any classic. There are essentially three schools of thoughts, and a fourth group of folks that can’t pick a side. The first two are the most common, with the later being alternative recommendations:
- Lemon Juice
- Lime Juice
- Use either Lemon or Lime Juice
- Use both
There’s no denying that the last group is the least common, and the most experimental. In the first two groups, there’s not even consensus on which ingredient was first. While some cocktail historians believe the Jack Rose started with lemon juice, others – like Jim Meehan insist it’s Lime.
To try to sort this out, I made both lemon and lime. In doing the side by side, I concluded the answer is a little bit dependent on what you want to experience from a Jack Rose. When using lemon juice, this drink is forcefully reminiscent of a Sidecar. In fact, at least one other cocktail historian calls this a “Pink Apple Sidecar”. The reason for this is the balance. Just like a sidecar, no particularly ingredient gives itself an edge, and the result is a balanced and integrated drink.
Lime provides a much less even drinking experience, but the malic acid provides opportunities for the other ingredients to strut in the drink. The most prominent of these is the applejack, which throws of wonderfully rich earthy notes without overwhelming the drink. The lime juice also creates more bite, so the tannic finish is slightly more aggressive.
Both cocktails are completely serviceable, and I recommend you try both – especially as you vary the base – to find what works best for you.
- Applejack, Apple Brandy, or Calvados – For our testing we used Laird’s Applejack, but this is perhaps the least recommended. If you have access to it, Laird’s Bonded will make a significantly more interesting drink. If you’d like to turn up the old world earthy notes, grab a bottle of Calvados.
- Grenadine – To make grenadine, combine equal parts by weight pomegranate juice and white sugar in a sauce pot. Heat until almost simmering and all the sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Add ½ oz of neutral spirits (vodka / overproof such as Everclear) if desired for preservation. Place in a clean bottle and store in the fridge for up to several weeks. Dispose of if any mold or haze develops.
- Lemon Juice – Use fresh squeezed.
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