Old Pal
ClassicThe Boulevardier's dry, rye-spiked older cousin.
Lean, dry, and bracingly bitter. Rye's peppery grain cuts against Campari's bitter orange, and the dry vermouth strips away any roundness the sweet version would bring, leaving something crisp and almost austere. A spirit-forward aperitif for people who find the Negroni too plush.
Ingredients
- 1 oz Rye Whiskey
- 1 oz Dry Vermouth
- 1 oz Campari
- Lemon peel · optional garnish
Method
- 1
Add the rye, dry vermouth, and Campari to a mixing glass with ice.
- 2
Stir until well-chilled, about 20-30 seconds.
- 3
Strain into a chilled coupe.
- 4
Express a lemon peel over the surface and drop it in.
The Story
The Old Pal is one of the oldest Negroni relatives on record, appearing in Harry MacElhone's 1920s bar books from Harry's New York Bar in Paris and credited to the sportswriter William "Sparrow" Robertson, who reportedly called everyone "old pal." Where the Boulevardier uses bourbon and sweet vermouth, the Old Pal takes rye and dry vermouth, drying the whole drink out. Equal parts, stirred, and served up, it predates most of the family it now belongs to.
Recipe card
The whole recipe in one shareable image.
