I recently took a new job which requires travel, so I’ve been out and about a lot more than in the past few years. One stop took me to Austin, Texas, where I was introduced to the Ward 8 cocktail.

The Ward 8 Cocktail - an orange colored cocktail in a conical glass garnished with two cherries on a small Massachusettes flag
The Ward 8 Cocktail

According to Wikipedia, the Ward 8 was invented in 1898 to honor a section of Boston that was key to electing a particular government official. Politics aside, it is a tasty drink.

  • 2.0 ounces rye whiskey
  • 0.5 ounce fresh orange juice
  • 0.5 ounce fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon grenadine

Shake all ingredients over ice and strain into a glass. Garnish with a cherry or two along with a small Massachusetts flag.

There are apparently a lot of variations to this. When I made it I bumped up the juices and grenadine slightly, and in the bar where I first had this drink they replaced the grenadine with cherry liqueur. I decided to go with the Wikipedia recipe and use rye, but this would be tasty with a bourbon as well.

Rating: 4/5

The Ward 8 Cocktail