The Old Pal at Finn's Corner

After three and a half years of being retired from the bar business I, like Douglas MacArthur have returned. Well, its not as dramatic as that LOL. But as you can imagine my excitement, I get a second shot at redemption in the bar business. I'll be behind the stick at Finn's Corner, 660 Washington Avenue in Brooklyn on Tuesday nights. So in honor of my friend Pete who offered my the opportunity to return to bartending, here is the Old Pal Cocktail.

The Old Pal

Now the Old Pal's origins lay with legendary bartender Harry MacElhone of the legendary Harry's New York Bar in Paris, France.  It is believed that MacElhone had created the drink in honor of his friend William "Sparrow" Robinson who was a sports columnist at the New York Herald-Tribune's Paris office. Now there is some dispute as to when the drink was created. For that I'll refer you to the article Classic Drinks: The Old Pal and a New Friend by Nick Caruana from the Serious Eats website.  On to the cocktail.

Some of you might see the recipe and think that it is a riff on the classic cocktail known as the Negroni. Whether it is or not I can not say. I have also seen this cocktail made with a 2:1:1 proportion with the whiskey having the larger share but for simplicity sake, I decided to make it as originally created. Here is the recipe for the Old Pal.

The Old Pal
1 Part Rittenhouse 100 Proof Rye Whiskey
1 Part Dolin Dry Vermouth
1 Part Campari

Combine all ingredients in ice filled shaker. Stir until the shaker is frosty and cold. Strain into a glass. Garnish with a lemon peel.

I found the Old Pal to be rather balanced, considering you have a 100 proof Rye and Campari making up two thirds of the ingredients with a hint of the bitterness of the Campari at the back of the tongue after taking a sip. If that aspect of Campari might be a bit harsh for your palate, I would recommend replacing the Campari with Aperol for a less harsher experience.

Here are my thoughts straight from behind the bar.

If you decide to have one let me know what you think. Have you tried it with another Rye Whiskey? Drop me a line and let me know at SiscoVanilla@gmail.com or give me a follow on Instagram at @SiscoVanilla

Until Then Happy Drinking,
SiscoVanilla
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For Further Reading:

- The Mystery of the Old Pal Cocktail from Cold Glass.com