The Toronto cocktail at Henrietta Lane Bar in Toronto.Janice Pinto/The Globe and Mail
It’s the perfect drink for Canadians during the trade war with the United States.
Instead of a Manhattan (named after the Trumpian borough) or an Old Fashioned (traditionally made with American Bourbon), a similar cocktail called the Toronto can serve as a Canadian alternative if you want a bit of patriotism in your glass.
The Toronto is a lesser-known classic cocktail made with Fernet-Branca, a bitter Italian liqueur known as a bartender favourite. It also contains simple syrup, Angostura bitters and rye whisky. Canadian varieties are currently being used, of course, given the lack of availability of American whiskey in most provinces. The orange garnish and zest lift up this intense drink, giving it a bright, fruity edge.
Like many classic cocktails, the Toronto has hazy origins, but it’s believed it was a popular drink in its namesake Ontario city in the 1920s.
Jamie Boudreau, a Canadian who owns and operates the Seattle cocktail bar Canon, says he discovered the Toronto while doing research in vintage cocktail books. He wrote about the drink in a 2006 blog post, and says the recipe then began to spread to fellow “cocktail nerds.”
The Toronto is only listed occasionally on bar menus, but bartenders with classic cocktail skills are often able to make it upon request. Customers who request it tend to be people curious about the name, or those with cocktail knowledge who aren’t afraid of a drink with a strong punch.
“It’s not an easy, bright cocktail, like a Margarita. It’s an earthy, slow sipper,” says Helena Kosikova, owner of E.L. Ruddy, a Toronto bar that serves the drink. “It’s a good cocktail for pondering hard decisions.”
Janice Pinto/The Globe and Mail
While it’s not officially on the menu at Henrietta Lane, another Toronto bar, co-owner Josh Colleran makes it occasionally by request. “It’s nicely balanced. Rye whisky tends to be drier, and it has a slight spiciness and astringency to it, and that is offset by the small amount of simple syrup. Then there’s a small amount of Fernet-Branca, which gives it depth and bitterness. Everything sits nicely together.”
Colleran serves his own variation on the Toronto called the Corktown, which uses rye steeped with bitter and sweet oranges, as well as cardamom syrup.
There are other Canadian and Canadian-themed cocktails – Boudreau’s research has unearthed drinks such as the Vancouver, the Habitant (referencing Quebec’s historic farmers) and Hotel Georgia (a drink from the storied Vancouver hotel). And of course there’s the Caesar, a spicy Canadian oddity made with vodka, clam juice and tomato juice.
While all of them allow Canadians to tap into their patriotism, it’s perhaps the Toronto – thanks to its potency – that can most help Canucks forget about their current troubles, at least until the next morning.
How to make the Toronto
- ¼ oz of Fernet-Branca
- ¼ oz of simple syrup
- 2 dashes of Angostura bitters
- 2 oz of rye whisky (could be Alberta Premium or Lot 40)
In a mixing glass full of ice, stir the combined ingredients until very cold. Strain into a chilled coupe. Garnish with orange peel and drop in the zest.