Following the classic cocktail playbook, the Old Pal has just a handful of ingredients:
Ingredient quantities are detailed in the printable recipe card below.
You’ll notice that the Old Pal’s three main ingredients are all liquor. Once you assemble them, you’ll be minutes away from meeting (i.e. crafting) your new best friend (aside from your dog).
Rye Whiskey
Rye distilled in the USA is similar to American bourbon with one key exception – it must be distilled with at least 51% rye.
Rittenhouse Straight Rye Whisky is our go-to rye whiskey for two reasons. First, although it’s now produced by Heaven Hill in Louisville, Kentucky, its roots are in Philadelphia. Second, its spicy flavor is simultaneously complex and smooth. It has an ABV of 50%.
Campari
Campari is a complex liqueur that derives its herbaceous tones from 50+ secret ingredients that include bitter herbs, aromatic plants and fruit. Famous for being the primary Negroni ingredient, Campari is a versatile liqueur used to craft a myriad of cocktails including the Old Pal. It has an ABV of 25%.
Discover our favorite Campari cocktails.
Dry Vermouth
Unlike sweet vermouth which is typically ruby red and produced in Italy, dry vermouth is white and has a French heritage. Most people have a bottle of the fortified wine at home since it’s a mandatory martini ingredient and, more often than not, that bottle is Italy’s Martini & Rossi.
We purchased a bottle of Noilly Prat dry vermouth since it’s from France instead of Italy. As a bonus, this dry vermouth’s recipe has 14 botanicals. It has an ABV of 18%.
Discover our favorite dry vermouth cocktails.
