Ingredients

  • 2 ozCanadian whisky
  • ¼ ozFernet-Branca
  • ¼ ozRich simple syrup(2:1 sugar to water)
  • 2 dashesAngostura bitters
  • 🍋Orange twist(garnish)

🔧 Tools

mixing-glassbarspoonstrainerjigger

Instructions

  1. Add all ingredients to a mixing glass with ice.
  2. Stir for 25-30 seconds until well chilled.
  3. Strain into a chilled coupe glass.
  4. Express an orange twist over the drink and drop it in.

📜 History

The Toronto first appeared in Robert Vermeire's 1922 "Cocktails: How to Mix Them" and was likely created during Prohibition when Canadian whisky flowed freely across the border. The cocktail combines Canadian whisky with Fernet-Branca, the intensely bitter Italian digestif, sweetened with rich simple syrup. The result is surprisingly harmonious—Fernet's menthol and herbal notes complement whisky's smoothness rather than overwhelming it. The Toronto was largely forgotten until the craft cocktail revival rediscovered it, introducing a new generation to the pleasures of Fernet in mixed drinks. Today it serves as a gateway cocktail for those exploring amari and bitter spirits.

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