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Cocktail History
The Scofflaw is a classic cocktail that was created by Harry EacElhone at Harry’s New York Bar in Paris, France. It is traditionally made with rye, vermouth, grenadine, and citrus. It was also named for the word coined in a Boston Herald contest for criminals who refused to give up their boozy beverages during Prohibition in the United States, and it is believed to have become popular because it appealed to the expats living in France at the time.
Cocktail Ingredients
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:
Rye: This is a type of whiskey made with at least 51% rye grain, malted barley, corn, and water. We used Knob Creek Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey because it has a bold whiskey flavor with notes of vanilla and oak. For a mocktail version of this drink, try The Gospel Responsible Rye Non-Alcoholic Whiskey in place of the whiskey.
Dry Vermouth: This is a fortified wine made with grapes, sugar, botanicals, herbs, sugar, and alcohol. We used Dolin Dry Vermouth de Chambéry because it has a light and airy flavor profile with notes of Alpine herbs. For a mocktail version of this drink, try Lyre’s Non-Alcoholic Apéritif Dry in place of the dry vermouth.
Lemon Juice: This is the liquid juice of a lemon. We used freshly squeezed lemon juice.
Grenadine: This is a sweetener made with pomegranate juice and white sugar. We made ours at home using Alex’s stovetop recipe.
Orange Bitters: This is a food product made with oranges, botanicals, herbs, and alcohol. We used Angostura Orange Bitters. For a mocktail version of this drink, try All The Bitter Non-Alcoholic Orange Bitters in place of the orange bitters.
Lemon Wedge: This a slice of an lemon that has been cut into a wedge shape.
Bartending Tools
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following bar tools:
Jigger: This is used to measure and pour ingredients. We used the Japanese jigger from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.
Boston Shaker: This is used to shake ingredients. We used the Boston shaker from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.
Hawthorne Strainer: This is used to strain out ice and solid ingredients after the cocktail is shaken. We used the A Bar Above Hawthorne Strainer.
Paring Knife: This is used to cut ingredients. We used the OXO Good Grips 3.5 Inch Paring Knife.
Juicer: This is used to juice citrus. We used the ALEEHAI Manual Fruit Juicer.
Tasting Notes
Our Opinion of This Cocktail Recipe: To be honest, we weren’t very impressed with the Scofflaw. Kendall thought it was a bit too strong even though this drink was quite sweet for a whiskey drink. Meanwhile, Alex thought the cocktail was much too sweet.
Which of our palates is yours most like?
Find out if your palate is most similar to Alex’s or Kendall’s by answering five questions.
Which of our palates is yours most like?
Find out if your palate is most similar to Alex’s or Kendall’s by answering five questions.
Recipe
This cocktail recipe was adapted from The Art of Vintage Cocktails by Stephanie Rosenbaum.
Add rye, dry vermouth, lemon juice, bitters, and cubed ice to a shaker.
Shake for 10-20 seconds.
Strain into a cocktail glass.
Drizzle in grenadine without stirring.
Garnish with lemon wedge.
Ingredients
Directions
Add rye, dry vermouth, lemon juice, bitters, and cubed ice to a shaker.
Shake for 10-20 seconds.
Strain into a cocktail glass.
Drizzle in grenadine without stirring.
Garnish with lemon wedge.
Make It a Mocktail: Use The Gospel Responsible Rye Non-Alcoholic Whiskey in place of the whiskey, Lyre’s Non-Alcoholic Apéritif Dry in place of the dry vermouth, and All The Bitter Non-Alcoholic Orange Bitters in place of the orange bitters to try a booze-free version of this drink.
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More Rye Cocktails
If you like this rye-based cocktail recipe, here are a few others we’ve tried that you may enjoy:
Mott & Mulberry: A rye cocktail made with Amaro Abano, apple cider, lemon juice, Demerara syrup, and apple slices
Remember The Maine: A rye cocktail made with sweet vermouth, cherry liqueur, absinthe, and a cherry
Falling Leaves: A rye cocktail made with Amaro Montenegro, toasted fig syrup, chocolate bitters, and an orange slice
Midnight Stinger: A rye cocktail made with Fernet-Branca, lemon juice, simple syrup, and mint
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