The only way to do great work is to love what you do.

Steve Jobs

In the vibrant 1920s, Harry's New York Bar in Paris stood as an elegant hub of culture and camaraderie, under the ownership of visionary Harry MacElhone. The bar drew in a diverse crowd of expatriates, artists, writers, and socialites, among them literary giants like Ernest Hemingway, who discovered inspiration within its mahogany-clad walls. Beyond fostering conversation and creativity, Harry's Bar became a crucible for cocktail innovation. MacElhone, the creative genius, birthed (or made famous) classics such as the French 75 and White Lady, firmly establishing the bar as a cocktail mecca.

One of the standout creations was the "Old Pal" cocktail, inspired by MacElhone's close friend, journalist William "Sparrow" Robertson. Sparrow, the sports editor for the New York Herald in Paris, frequented the bar so consistently that MacElhone immortalised their bond by featuring it in his era-defining cocktail book, Harry's ABC of Mixing Cocktails (1922).

The Old Pal cocktail, at its core, shares its lineage with another of MacElhone's creations, the Boulevardier. What sets it apart is its slightly drier, spicier character, achieved through the skillful combination of rye whiskey, Campari, and dry vermouth, as opposed to the sweeter elements found in its counterpart.

This innovative variation emphasises that even making minor adjustments can have a significant impact on the flavour of a classic cocktail.

Preparation:

1.0oz / 30ml Rye Whiskey

1.0oz / 30ml Campari

1.0oz / 30ml Sweet vermouth

Lemon twist

Prepare a lemon twist garnish. Fill a coupe or nick & nora with cubed ice and put it to one side. Add all the ingredients into a mixing glass and fill with cubed ice. Stir for 15-20 seconds. Discard the cubed ice from the service glass and pour the cocktail into it. Express the lemon oils over the cocktail and position on top.