One part performer, one part philosopher, and a healthy splash of cocktail historian, the name Jackson Cannon has been synonymous with the Boston craft cocktail scene since 2005.
Son and brother of renowned award-winning journalists Lou and Carl Cannon, Jackson grew up immersed in a world of travel, politics, and literature. In his twenties Jackson dedicated himself to a career in music, traveling the world in support of such dynamic acts as Eddie Kirkland, Gatemouth Brown, Dennis Brennan, and The Tarbox Ramblers. A stint booking music acts at the Lizard Lounge in Cambridge, Massachusetts provided the fortuitous introduction to the craft of bartending and Jackson seized the stage.
Settling in Boston, Jackson transitioned out of music and found bartending to be the perfect profession for his diverse interests. Together with two esteemed colleagues, Jackson formed the Jack Rose Society with a mission to preserve the legacy of the art of the American cocktail and right the wrongs of misunderstood classic cocktails.
As opening Bar Manager at Eastern Standard in 2005, he quickly cemented the neighborhood brasserie’s reputation as one of the country’s best bars, known for its unique ability to offer properly crafted cocktails and unwavering hospitality in a high-volume environment. Jackson’s iconic, expansive cocktail program offered more than 60 classic and new creations, securing Eastern Standard national attention from USA Today as one of the country’s “Top 10 Hotel Bars” in 2006, Esquire magazine as one of the “Best Bars in America” in both 2008 and 2010, and Tales of the Cocktail’s Spirited Awards for “Best High-Volume Cocktail Bar” in 2012 and “Best Restaurant Bar” in 2015. In 2011, Nightclub & Bar magazine named Jackson “Bartender of the Year.”
The same year, Jackson introduced the next iteration of his vision when he opened The Hawthorne, where he built an experience that revolved around a commitment to thoughtfully crafted cocktails, continued cocktail/spirits education, and the curation of truly exceptional moments for guests. Under Jackson’s leadership, The Hawthorne received local and national acclaim as a 2014 and 2015 James Beard Foundation Award semifinalist for “Outstanding Bar Program,” and 2016 “Hotel Bar of the Year” at Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Awards. He was also personally recognized as a finalist for “Best Bar Mentor” at the 2013 and 2014 Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Awards and as a 2014 Wine Enthusiast Wine Star Award nominee for “Mixologist/Brand Ambassador of the Year.”
