My absolute favorite drink looks pretty girlie. I guess in many ways it is pretty girlie. But it could be worse. One of my mother’s many cousins drinks a “Grey Goose Cosmo, shaken hard.” This cousin is one of my favorite people, but that drink order…

The Jack Rose is a pink drink. Gorgeously but embarrassingly pink. A bright, melony, in-your-face pink. The question is of course can I drink this thing and still respect myself afterwards?

8 parts Applejack (Laird’s) + 2 parts lemon juice + 1 part Grenadine (Rose’s)

Embury uses lemon, but numerous sources I’ve encountered suggested limes. I was in a lime mood (I always love lime and grenadine), so that’s the direction I decided to go.

The first smell is delightful. It smells, unsurprisingly, like citrus with a dash of alcohol. Slightly sweet.

In taste, it’s pretty mellow but there is a bit of a lingering, sharp aftertaste. I have to assume that this might taste better with a better Applejack - your cocktail is not going to be able to surmount a bad base. Other than that, it’s really a delightful drink. Unlike the Sidecar, the citrus felt balanced. The grenadine likewise seemed to enhance and not detract. Nothing syrupy or sticky here. All the components really work well together and I understand why Rachel Maddow is such a devotee.

I actually prefer to have a bit of alcohol flavor in my cocktails - I like to remind myself what I’m drinking and not cover it up. A few minutes after a sip, the flavor is mostly dissipated, but there remains a pleasant flavor which somehow reminds me of being in Hawai’i. I guess it reminds me of guava nectar, which is appropriate given the color.

Of the three of six basic drinks that I’ve sampled, this one is - to my surprise - my favorite. All the components played off each other very well and the quality of the Applejack didn’t seem to have too negative an effect on the overall cocktail. This is one pink drink that I can manage to consume without damaging my street cred.

As for my favorite drink? A good rosato frizzante or sparkling rosé. Especially during the summer. But not White Zin. Ever.