Toronto
Rye, Fernet, a touch of sugar, and bitters — the Canadian rye cocktail Fernet drinkers swear by.
Time
4 min
Difficulty
Easy
Glass
Rocks or coupe
Method
Stirred
The Method
How to make it
- 01
Add rye, Fernet, simple syrup, and bitters to a mixing glass with ice.
- 02
Stir 25–30 seconds until well chilled.
- 03
Strain over one large ice cube in a rocks glass (or up in a chilled coupe).
- 04
Express the orange peel over the drink and drop it in.
- 05
Sip slowly — this one opens up as it dilutes.
Bartender's Tip
If you only have bourbon, it works — but the Toronto wants the dry spice of rye to balance Fernet's menthol punch. Bourbon makes it sweet; rye keeps it sharp.
A Little History
First documented in Robert Vermeire's 1922 'Cocktails: How to Mix Them,' the Toronto was reportedly the favorite of the city's hard-drinking newspapermen. Resurrected in the 2000s by the modern cocktail revival, it's now a Fernet-fan benchmark.
