Ingredients:

Laird’s Apple Brandy, 2 oz.

Lemon/Lime juice, .75 oz. (I use a 50/50 lemon and lime mixture)

Grenadine, .75 oz. 

Note on Ingredients: 

1.) Use 100 proof bonded Laird’s preferably, though it is harder to find, or their 80 proof Applejack. When using the stronger stuff, I like to up the citrus and grenadine in equal measure a quarter ounce, making the build 2 oz. booze, half ounce fresh lemon, half ounce fresh lime, and a full ounce of grenadine.

2.) Make your own Grenadine. There’s many ways to do it, and I have arrived at a happy medium for myself that exemplifies the attributes I enjoy from all the recipes I have tried. It’s also the simplest way, which I appreciate. I take 250g of Pomegranate Juice and 250g of demerara sugar and heat it in a sauce pan just enough to dissolve the sugar. I then add one quarter teaspoon of orange flower water and one quarter tablespoon of Regan’s Orange bitters. Keep in the fridge it will last for two weeks. Adding a spoonful of liquor will help prevent spoiling. Cointreau and Applejack are both great choices for fortification.

Originating around the dawn of the 20th century the drink was created in Jersey City by Frank J. May who went by the moniker “Jack Rose” and became, in his time, a famed mixologist. It possesses a hearty portion Applejack (in many cases) as well as a deep, rosy hue, making the name and the experience of having one difficult to forget. 

I hold it among what I call the “Royal Sours” or the three most elemental three-ingredient sours. They are the Daiquiri, the Bee’s Knees, and the Jack Rose. Their elegance, strength, and veiled simplicity make them sublime when produced with care, diligence, and grace. The ingredients shine equally and brightly in each. Many recipes will call for lime and as many or more for lemon. This is precisely why I use both. Neither is noticeably better on its own.