Friday night cocktail: The Toronto Cocktail
27. Aug, 2010 
2 Comments
In many ways, the city of Toronto is like New York’s little brother. But when it comes to namesake cocktails, there’s nothing little about The Toronto: it’s all big, bold flavour. The key ingredient here is Fernet Branca, a herbal Italian digestivo that tastes like what Jägermeister wants to be when it grows up. Apparently, Fernet Branca is a sort of “secret handshake” among bartenders, especially in the San Francisco area. (Check out Imbibe Magazine’s story on it.)
You can mix this drink with either Canadian whisky or American straight rye whiskey, and it’ll work. Personally, I think Canadian whisky works better; it gives the Fernet a canvas to spread out on, without fighting it. Or maybe that’s just my patriotism coming through! Also, while some recipes call for a dash of Angostura bitters, I think they’re totally superfluous here.
Recipe for the Toronto Cocktail
2 oz. Canadian whisky (my favourite brands are Forty Creek Barrel Select and Alberta Springs)
1/4 oz. Fernet Branca
1/4 oz. simple syrup
Combine ingredients in an ice-filled mixing glass and stir for a slow count of 20. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with an orange twist.
Matthew Kayahara
I still wonder where the Toronto came from. There is a very similar drink called the King Cole, an old-fashioned with Fernet instead of bitters, in the first edition Savoy Cocktail Book.
Not sure when the Toronto appeared.
It’s a good question, Erik. I don’t have the most comprehensive cocktail library, and the earliest reference I can find is in Embury.
The other one that’s always plagued me is the Quebec, because I can’t for the life of me see how it differs from the Brooklyn… unless you insist on making Brooklyns with straight rye and Quebecs with Canadian whisky.