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Scofflaw
Posted: July 18, 2026
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About
The Scofflaw is a Prohibition-era classic with one of the most satisfying backstories in cocktail history. In 1924, a Boston businessman offered a $200 prize for the best new word to describe someone who flouts the law — namely, someone who drinks alcohol despite the Volstead Act. The winning entry was 'scofflaw,' and Harry MacElhone of Harry's New York Bar in Paris immediately named a drink after it, serving it to the American expatriates and tourists who thronged his bar to drink freely. The cocktail itself is a brilliant Manhattan riff: rye or bourbon, dry vermouth, grenadine, and lemon juice with orange bitters — tart, fruity, complex, and just a little defiant. Raising a Scofflaw is still an act of minor rebellion, which is part of its charm.
Ingredients
0.5 oz Lemon Juice
0.5 oz Grenadine
1.5 oz Bourbon Whiskey
1 oz Dry Vermouth
2 dash Orange Bitters
Instructions
- Combine bourbon, dry vermouth, grenadine, lemon juice, and orange bitters in a cocktail shaker filled with ice.
- Shake vigorously for 10-12 seconds until well chilled.
- Strain into a chilled coupe or cocktail glass.
- Garnish with a maraschino cherry or orange twist.