Happy Hour — the Old Pal

Remember a good friend with a delicious Boulevardier-esque cocktail.

This is a cocktail newsletter. But it’s also my newsletter, which means occasionally my own life will play a role. (I promise there will still be cocktail content.) 

I had a hard week. I lost my best bud, my dog of more than eight years, a giant breed bullmastiff named Fitzgerald. 

He and I spent a lot of time together, especially this last year, and I made (and drank) a lot of cocktails with him at my feet. He was a regular at my home bar, and I always kept a jar of dog treats for him on the counter. He was a pretty great drinking buddy, and he might have heard more monologues about cocktails than any other dog. I’m not sure he cared — he was more into brisket. But he was a genuinely great listener. 

So this week’s drink is a small tribute to him. It’s the Old Pal, a three-part mix of rye, Campari, and dry vermouth. It’s a Negroni-esque drink that closely resembles the Boulevardier. The main difference between this drink and the Boulevardier is the dry vermouth, which gives it a sharper, flatter character, and the specific call for rye (originally Canadian whisky). As always, you should probably use Rittenhouse for the rye and Dolin Dry for the vermouth. 

Many recipes call for this drink to be made in equal parts, but this produces a soft, less focused drink than a more rye-heavy ratio. And while most recipes call for the drink to be served up, you’ll occasionally see recipes that say it should be served on the rocks; I strongly advise against this. An Old Pal served on the rocks gets soggy pretty fast; you really don’t want to over-dilute it or drink it over sweaty ice.  

I prefer a 2:1:1 version, served up, with a twist of lemon peel for garnish. Try slightly under-stirring it for less dilution and a bit more kick from the rye. 

In many ways this version mirrors Toby Cecchini’s excellent Boulevardier. But it’s drier, saltier, and the bittersweet notes are more prominent. It’s less brooding than a Boulevardier, and a little more somber and reflective. It’s a good drink to remember a friend by. 

To my old pal, Fitzgerald. 

Old Pal 

• ¾ ounce Campari

• ¾ ounce dry vermouth (Dolin)

• 1 ½ ounce rye (Rittenhouse)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass

2. Add ice, then stir until chilled (don’t over-stir this one!).

3. Strain into a coupe or Nick & Nora glass. 

4. Garnish with a strip of lemon peel.