🍁 Toronto Cocktail

A Prohibition-era gem with Fernet-Branca's bitter edge

🌾 Rye Whiskey

Ingredients

2 oz Canadian rye whiskey (or American rye)
¼ oz Fernet-Branca
¼ oz Simple syrup (or 1 tsp sugar)
2 dashes Angostura bitters
1 Orange peel (for garnish)

Instructions

Add rye whiskey, Fernet-Branca, simple syrup, and bitters to a mixing glass.
Fill with ice and stir for 30 seconds until well-chilled.
Strain into a chilled coupe or rocks glass (neat or over a large ice cube).
Express the orange peel over the drink and drop it in.

Pro Tips

📜 History

First published in Robert Vermeire's "Cocktails: How to Mix Them" (1922), likely named for Toronto's thriving bar scene during American Prohibition when thirsty Americans headed north.

🌿 Fernet-Branca

This intensely bitter Italian amaro is potent – a little goes a long way. The ¼ oz adds complexity without overwhelming. If you love Fernet, try bumping it to ½ oz.

🥃 Whiskey Choice

Canadian rye (like Lot 40 or Crown Royal Northern Harvest) is traditional, but American ryes like Rittenhouse work beautifully and add more spice.

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