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Cocktailary

Negroni family1927

Old Pal（オールド・パル）

Old Pal served in a coupe glass
オールド・パル · 1927Coupe · Stirred

The dry Boulevardier — rye, Campari, and dry vermouth for people who like their bitterness unclothed.

Recipe →

01Recipe

Recommended recipe

House spec — an editorial spec drawing on the sourced versions below.

Ingredients and measures
IngredientMeasure
Rye whiskey30 ml
Campari30 ml
Dry vermouth30 ml

Total volume (pre-dilution)

  1. 01

    Add all ingredients to a mixing glass filled with ice.

  2. 02

    Stir until well chilled.

  3. 03

    Strain into a chilled coupe. Express lemon twist.

Garnish — Lemon twist

02Taste profile

Sweetness
28Light
Sourness*
0Faint
Bitterness
75Strong
Fruitiness
28Light
Herbal*
46Moderate
Alcohol
72Strong
Crisp
60Strong

Independent editorial scores, 0–100. *Estimated from the ingredient list — a profile sketch, not a verdict.

03History

Paris, 1920s. Harry MacElhone included the Old Pal in 'Barflies and Cocktails' (1927), naming it for William 'Sparrow' Robertson, sports editor of the New York Herald's Paris edition and a fixture of the bar.

It's the third sibling in the equal-parts Campari family: Negroni (gin/rosso), Boulevardier (bourbon/rosso), Old Pal (rye/dry). Where its brothers are plush, the Old Pal is lean.

It was nearly forgotten until the craft revival rediscovered the Barflies canon; today it's the regular order of anyone who finds the Boulevardier a touch sweet.

Sources — MacElhone, Barflies and Cocktails (1927) · Difford's Guide

04Recipe versions

Each version is shown exactly as recorded in its source — unverified claims are flagged.

Total volume (pre-dilution)
  • Barflies and Cocktails

    Barflies and Cocktails

    Harry MacElhone · 1927 · Book · unverified

    • ⅓ rye whiskey
    • ⅓ Campari
    • ⅓ dry vermouth

    Stir, strain.

    Equal parts — the spec that made the family.

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05Variations

06The map

Spirits

SpiritRye WhiskeyBrandRittenhouseBrandWild Turkey 101
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