Old Pal

Difford’s Guide
Discerning Drinkers (117 ratings)

Serve in an Old-fashioned glass

Ingredients:
1 oz Straight rye whiskey (100 proof /50% alc./vol.)
1 oz Strucchi Red Bitter (Campari-style liqueur)
12 oz Strucchi Dry Vermouth
12 oz Strucchi Bianco Vermouth
× 1 1 serving
Read about cocktail measures and measuring

How to make:

  1. Select and pre-chill an Old-fashioned glass.
  2. Prepare garnish of orange slice wheel.
  3. STIR all ingredients with ice.
  4. STRAIN into ice-filled glass (preferably over a large cube or chunk of block ice).
  5. Garnish with orange slice.

Allergens:

Recipe contains the following allergens:

Strength & taste guide:

No alcohol
Medium
Boozy
Strength 9/10
Sweet
Medium
Dry/sour
Sweet to sour 7/10

Review:

Classically an equal parts three-ingredient cocktail comprising: 30ml rye, 30ml bitter liqueur and 30 ml dry vermouth. This produces an overly dry bittersweet spirituous drink. Hence, I prefer the Old Pal with an even split of dry and bianco vermouths so introducing a fourth ingredient and the merest touch more sweetness to tame this Negroni-style sipper.

View readers' comments

AKA: Rye Negroni

History:

A rye whiskey-based version of the Boulevardier cocktail, the Old Pal first appears in Harry MacElhone's's 1927 Barflies and Cocktails. Not among the book's A-Z listing of recipes, but in a chapter titled "Cocktails Round Town", written by Arthur Moss, the "Around the Town" columnist of the New York Herald, Paris. Named and modelled after his newspaper column, Moss recounts cocktails created by or for other regulars at Harry's Bar. (For more on Moss and his contribution, see the Boulevardier cocktail.)

I remember way back in 1878, on the 30th February to be exact, when the writer was discussing this subject with my old pal "Sparrow" Robertson and he said to yours truly, "get away with that stuff, my old pal, here's the drink I invented when I fired the pistol the first time at the old Powderhall foot races and you can't go wrong if you put a bet down on 1/3 Canadian Club, 1/3 Eyetalian Vermouth, and 1/3 Campari,'' and then be told the Writer that he would dedicate this cocktail to me and call it, My Old Pal.

Arthur Moss, Barflies and Cocktails, 1927

It's easy to misinterpret MacElhone as "the writer" in this quote and so the cocktail's creator [I have previously], but it would appear the Old Pal was named after William "Sparrow" Robinson, then sports editor of The New York Herald in Paris, by his friend Arthur Moss (the writer of the chapter rather than the book).

Nutrition:

One serving of Old Pal contains 178 calories

Alcohol content:

  • 1.6 standard drinks
  • 24.17% alc./vol. (24.17° proof)
  • 21.8 grams of pure alcohol

Difford’s Guide remains free-to-use thanks to the support of the brands in green above. Values stated for alcohol and calorie content, and number of drinks an ingredient makes should be considered approximate.

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9th April at 21:08
Like the Boulevardier's American cousin.
Matt Tench’s Avatar Matt Tench
9th April at 14:20
It seems wrong that this isn't called the Perfect Pal... who wouldn't want one of those...
Noel Sharkey’s Avatar Noel Sharkey
22nd March at 12:42
Hey Simon, you’re right that the Old Pal first appears in Harry MacElhone (1927) but it was in a section called Cocktails Around Town written by Arthur Moss, a columnist for the New York Herald in Paris. In it, he credits his “Old Pal” William "Sparrow" Robinson, a sports editor for The New York Herald in Paris as the creator.
Simon Difford’s Avatar Simon Difford
23rd March at 11:02
Many thanks, Noel. I have amended above accordingly.
9th March at 19:52
Made per recipe proportions using Bulleit Rye and Noilly Prat sweet and dry vermouths, but used half Campari and half Select Apertivo to tone down the bitterness. Served up in a coupe. We like it and will make again!
Stephen Broughall’s Avatar Stephen Broughall
10th February at 00:10
Used Bulleit rye. Added a second splash of San Pellegrino water, which lightens the drink a bit.
Garth Stanish’s Avatar Garth Stanish
30th January at 03:59
I find this gorgeously balanced. For the red bitter liqueur, I used the lovely St Felix bitter citrus ( from Melbourne) which is less bitter and more floral than a Campari.
Mark’s Avatar Mark
2nd December 2024 at 05:06
Id say its a bit more approachable than a classic negroni. Substituted campari for Carpano botanic bitter, yielded an equally tasty drink, would certainly mix again.
G. M. Genovese’s Avatar G. M. Genovese
13th November 2022 at 18:36
Long time (3 years?) fan of this drink... No Campari on hand... Just made this twice, first with Aperol and Noilly Prat dry. Pretty good I suppose... Second attempt using 50:50 Noilly Prat and Lillet Blanc resulted in a much more accessible drink... The dry/bianco take is something I'm surprised I've yet to try... Rittenhouse Rye is my go-to, by the way. (13 Nov 2022, 1:36p)
Andy Parnell-Hopkinson’s Avatar Andy Parnell-Hopkinson
9th April 2022 at 15:59
Prefer it served up as per Liquor.com.
John Hinojos’ Avatar John Hinojos
24th June 2021 at 00:04
Very nice rye negroni. Flavours seems to smooth out if you let it sit a little.