Presented by Cooks’ World and Pinnacle Wine & Liquor

The Scofflaw cocktail was born in Paris in 1924 but was a product of the Prohibition era in the United States. The word “scofflaw” won a contest held by Delcevare King, a prominent Boston banker and temperance advocate, who offered $200 in gold for the best epithet to describe law-breaking drinkers. Newspapers, including the Boston Globe, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and Christian Science Monitor, covered the contest enthusiastically, and King received 25,000 entries, including two for the word “scofflaw,” which he selected. The winning word quickly gained popularity and made headlines across the United States and Europe, catching a bartender’s attention at Harry’s New York Bar in Paris.

Capitalizing on the buzz around the new term, the bartender created the Scofflaw cocktail, and the recipe was first published in Harry MacElhone’s “ABC of Mixing Cocktails.” The drink quickly became popular among American expatriates in Paris, who could enjoy alcohol freely, unlike their counterparts back home. The original Scofflaw cocktail recipe includes rye whiskey, dry vermouth, lemon juice, grenadine, and orange bitters, resulting in a balanced and complex drink that straddles the line between a classic vermouth cocktail and a modern citrus cocktail.

Of note, some bartenders prefer to use lime juice instead of lemon. As always, we encourage you to try it both ways and make your own decisions.

THE SCOFFLAW
1½ oz. Bottled in Bond Rye Whiskey
1 oz. Dolin or Vya Dry Vermouth
¾ oz. Freshly squeezed lemon juice
½ oz. Grenadine syrup
1 dash of orange bitters

Combine the ingredients in a shaker with plenty of ice and shake for 10-15 seconds to integrate and chill the drink thoroughly. Strain the mix into a chilled cocktail coupe or Martini glass. Garnish the drink with a twist of lemon or orange peel if you wish. 

About our Cocktail of the Week partners—shop local and independent!
Cooks’ World and Pinnacle Wine & Liquor are less than a mile from each other, on Monroe Avenue near Twelve Corners in Brighton.

Cooks’ World, in business since 1978, is Rochester’s premier retailer of dining, kitchen, and cooking products, including a complete selection of glassware, mixology tools, and accessories for wine and spirits lovers. Follow Cooks’ World on Facebook and Instagram. Sign up here to receive Cooks’ World’s daily email specials and other news. 

Pinnacle Wine & Liquor, in business since 1997, offers a thoughtfully curated selection of spirits and wine from around the world, with a savvy staff to assist in your selection and encourage you along your cocktail and wine journey. Follow Pinnacle on Facebook and Instagram. For the inside track on Pinnacle’s spirits sales, send two text messages to (585)765-7546:
— Text the word “bourbon,” to receive weekly text messages offering the chance to buy rare or allocated whiskies or special prices on popular products.
—Text the word “spirits,” to receive roughly monthly offers on fine spirits other than whiskies.

Shout out to the official supplier of elegant clear ice to the Libation Lounge: My friend Ralph DiTucci of Cristallino Premium Ice and Grace & Disgrace.