What Makes The Old Pal Cocktail Different From The Boulevardier?

Paris has long inspired Americans to pursue creativity and that French joie de vivre (zest for life), including with cocktails. In the early 20th century, Parisian bars with American bartenders — like Harry's New York Bar — pioneered a number of now classic cocktails with Roaring 20s spirit. The Boulevardier and Old Pal, two cocktails paying homage to the Negroni (made with gin, Italian sweet vermouth, and Campari, garnished with an orange slice, and served on the rocks) were among the tastiest and prettiest.

Both are mixed with a simple 1-1-1 ratio, and the original Boulevardier contained rye whiskey (modern recipes call for bourbon), sweet vermouth, and Campari, poured over ice, with an orange twist. The Old Pal is lighter because it uses rye whiskey and dry vermouth instead of sweet. It is shaken over ice, then served up (without ice) in a martini glass or coupe and garnished with a lemon twist. 

The strong and bitter orange flavor of the Campari would be expected to overshadow the other ingredients in both cocktails, but the whiskeys of the Boulevardier and Old Pal have a mellowing effect. The vermouth is the spirit that differentiates them more, though. A dry vermouth is herbaceous and sharp, while a sweet vermouth is, well, sweet (almost like cola). Adding to their personalities, the drinks also differ in their garnish and service, which have a surprisingly big impact on flavor.

Bourbon and rye look and smell similar, but they differentiate the Boulevardier and Old Pal. The sweetness of bourbon is nutty and spicy, with a chocolate taste and mouthfeel, while rye's herbal notes offer an oaky, smokiness. Because of those subtle distinctions, some modern bartenders find the Campari too intense and offer a more spirit-forward approach, mixing two parts bourbon or rye to one each of Campari and vermouth to create the cocktail-equivalent of ease.

Serving the Boulevardier over ice means the water melts into the drink slowly, with a different first sip (strong and warm) from the last (diluted and cool). The Boulevardier's orange twist adds a sweeter, rounder flavor to the cocktail, while the lemon peel adds a zesty snap to the Old Pal. "Garnishes matter," says Kim Karrick, owner of Scratch Distillery, "The sweetness of the orange, even in a twist, changes the flavor from sour to sweet as soon as the citrus oils hit your nose."

As cooler weather brings on cravings for warmer cocktails, toast friends with either the Boulevardier or the Old Pal. Their rich, golden red hue (imagine a sunset in a smoky sky) from the combination of the whiskeys with bright red Campari creates a soothing, surprising color that is mimicked by an unexpectedly smooth taste.