Old Pal
A dry, bitter and spicy balance of rye whiskey, Campari and vermouth: the Negroni's leaner little brother.
Ingredients
- Rye whiskey, high-proof, ideally, for extra spice45 ml
- Campari22.5 ml
- Dry vermouth, French style22.5 ml
- Lemon, to garnish (optional)1 twist
Method
- Chill a coupe or Nick & Nora glass in the freezer or with iced water.
- Pour the rye whiskey, Campari and dry vermouth into a mixing glass.
- Fill the glass with plenty of solid ice.
- Stir calmly but thoroughly for 20–30 seconds, until the drink is well chilled and properly diluted.
- Strain through a fine-mesh strainer into the cold glass.
- Express the oils from a strip of lemon peel over the drink and drop it in to garnish.
Harry MacElhone, Harry's New York Bar, Paris (1922)
About this drink
The Old Pal was created in the 1920s by Harry MacElhone at Harry's New York Bar in Paris and named after the sports journalist 'Sparrow' Robertson. It is a closer, drier relative of the Negroni and the Boulevardier, with rye whiskey and dry vermouth replacing gin or bourbon and sweet vermouth. The result is a sharper, more subtle aperitif with less sweetness and more bite.
