Ward Eight Cocktail

By
Colleen Graham
Photo of Colleen Graham
Colleen Graham
Freelance writer and cocktail book author Colleen Graham is a seasoned mixologist who loves sharing her knowledge of spirits and passion for preparing drinks.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 05/24/22
Tested by
Sean Michael Johnson
Photo of Sean Michael Johnson
Tested by Sean Michael Johnson
Sean is an award-winning bartender with over 15 years of experience in the industry. He is the head bartender at the two-Michelin-star restaurant, Gabriel Kreuther, crafting cocktail menus that have caught international attention. To date, he has made over 1 million cocktails, and counting.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Ward Eight Cocktail

The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

Prep: 3 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 3 mins
Serving: 1 serving
Yield: 1 cocktail

The Ward Eight is a classic whiskey sour with a hint of grenadine, which adds a touch of sweetness. As the story goes, the Ward Eight was invented in 1898 at Boston's Locke-Ober restaurant and named for the city's 8th political district. Bartender Tom Hussion created it when his boss, Martin Lomasney ran for election.

The Locke-Ober closed in 2012, and it seems the official recipe is difficult to find. So now there are countless variations. The essentials, however, are usually the same: whiskey, citrus, and grenadine.

You can serve the drink on the rocks in a Collins glass or up in a cocktail or wine glass. No matter how you make or serve it, the cocktail offers a little of every taste sensation in a single drink that is sure to please.

"The Ward Eight cocktail is a great whiskey concoction. This recipe is a good standard to hold the cocktail to and also a starting point to refine your palate with subtle adjustments. Begin with this cocktail, and play with the measurements to find your ultimate Ward Eight." —Sean Johnson

Ward Eight Cocktail Tester Image
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ward Eight Cocktail ingredients

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  2. In a cocktail shaker, add the whiskey, lemon and orange juices, and grenadine. Fill with ice.

    Cocktail shaker filled with ice, and whiskey, lemon and orange juices, and grenadine in shot glasses

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  3. Shake well.

    Shaking a cocktail shaker with cocktail ingredients

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  4. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass or a Collins glass filled with ice.

    Strain into a chilled cocktail glass or a collins glass filled with ice

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  5. Garnish with a cherry and orange slice. Serve and enjoy.

    Ward Eight Cocktail, garnished with a cherry and orange slice

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

Tip

Rye whiskey will add a nice robust quality to the drink. This was likely the original whiskey of choice, though many drinkers prefer to pour a bourbon.

Recipe Variations

  • Use as little as 1/2 ounce each of lemon and orange juices.
  • Some drinkers also prefer to cut the orange juice in half, letting the lemon take center stage.
  • Make the drink sweeter by adding 1/4 ounce or more grenadine to suit your taste.
  • You might also like to add a splash of soda water. Keep it clean tasting with seltzer or club soda and avoid any sodas that are sweetened.
  • Adding a couple of dashes of bitters is also relatively common.
  • One tasty variation skips the orange juice, opting for simple syrup instead. Keep the pour equal to the lemon juice. This mix is best with just a dash of grenadine, or it becomes too sweet.
  • Some recipes call for a sour mix. This is essentially citrus and simple syrup in one convenient bottle, so you can pour a single ingredient to replace the two.

How Strong Is a Ward Eight Cocktail?

For a cocktail of this style, the Ward Eight is surprisingly light compared to whiskey favorites like the Manhattan and old-fashioned. On average, it will mix up to 16 percent ABV (32 proof), which is almost half the strength of those others.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
167 Calories
0g Fat
10g Carbs
1g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1
Amount per serving
Calories 167
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 7mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 10g 4%
Dietary Fiber 1g 3%
Total Sugars 7g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 26mg 128%
Calcium 16mg 1%
Iron 0mg 1%
Potassium 120mg 3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)