Wes found this one on Robert’s site yesterday — I don’t know how I missed it — and decided that “what the world needs now is more rye cocktails.” Amen. This drink was fabulous.

The Old Pal

1 ounce rye whiskey.
3/4 ounce dry vermouth.
3/4 ounce Campari.

Stir the ingredients with cracked ice. Strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a curly twist of lemon.

Of course, I was not told what drink he’d be making, and I was not allowed to watch as he mixed. As we often do when we make new-to-us drinks, I had to guess what was in it. I successfully guessed the Campari (which was easy) and the rye, and cheated ’cause I saw him take the dry vermouth out of the fridge.

Unfortunately, as I was tasting and smelling the drink, I got my nose a little too close to the surface of the drink and ended up inadvertently snorting some of it. I do not recommend this technique for evaluating a cocktail.