Bone-dry and bitter, this is equal parts rye whiskey, dry vermouth and Campari, stirred cold and served up — a lean cousin of the Boulevardier that reaches for French dry vermouth where its sweeter sibling pours sweet. With the plushness stripped away, the rye's spice and Campari's bitter-orange edge cut clean, and a twist of lemon peel sharpens the finish.
Garnish: Lemon Peel
Stirred · Coupe · Up
add
Combine the rye whiskey, dry vermouth, and Campari in a mixing glass with ice.
stir
Stir until well chilled and properly diluted, about 20-30 seconds.
strain
Strain into a chilled coupe glass.
express
Express a lemon twist over the surface and drop it in.
The drink is credited to, and named for, William "Sparrow" Robinson, who covered sports for the New York Herald from Paris during the Prohibition years. Its earliest printed recipe turned up in Harry MacElhone's 1927 "Barflies and Cocktails," tucked into an essay by Arthur Moss called "Cocktails About Town." That first version paired Canadian Club with sweet Italian vermouth and Campari; by the early 1930s dry French vermouth had become the norm, and rye has since taken over as the usual whiskey. The IBA added the Old Pal to its official list in 1961, then dropped it in 1987.