The Toronto is one of the few classics that calls for Fernet. While Fernet Branca is the most well known of these, there are numerous other Fernet on the market. The dark, pungent liqueurs are known for the strong flavor profiles and high levels of complexity. To partner with them, Rye and Angostura Bitters lend their powerful structures, and just a little sweetness comes in from the sugar. This makes for a deep, brooding cocktail packed with complexity that’s perfect for the change in temperature. Lovers of Old Fashioned and Sazeracs should find a lot to love here.
Toronto
In the Toronto, the spicy nature of the rye lays down the skeleton, the fernet and angostura provide the muscle, and the simple beautifies the whole package. The rye here gives off great spice and herbal notes with an Old Fashioned feel, but never feels aggressive or overpowering. The Fernet seems like it would be overpowering if you’ve had Fernet on its own, but here it accentuates the earthy and herbal notes in the rye. Where it comes together is in the ending, bringing the full menthol and caramelized sugar notes to the forefront with just the tiniest hint of bitterness.
Drink Notes & Recommendations
The Toronto is built in the mould of an Old Fashioned and that shows in the construction. Rather than serving over ice, the Toronto eschews dilution in favor of a coupe or Nick & Nora glass.
- Rye – We used Eljiah Craig Rye here, which worked well at accentuating the herbal notes, but minimized the spice slightly. While it works, we still recommend Rittenhouse Rye.
- Fernet Branca – While there are other Fernet, the original is made with Fernet Branca. This uniquely licorice and menthol noted liqueur is less bitter than Campari, but has a significantly more aggressive flavor profile. Swapping with another Fernet will alter this, and you should adjust your usage accordingly.
- Simple Syrup – Many prohibition recipes are quite sweet as the simple tended to be rich (2:1 ratio of sugar to water). Our standard simple is not rich, so you may find that it needs additional sweetness to balance the Fernet. There are two options here:
- Add an additional 1/4 oz of Simple Syrup (1:1)
- Make Rich Simple Syrup
- Angostura – As this is an Old Fashioned relative, you can swap the bitters to play with the flavor profile. Angostura works well here as it also has a similar strength of presence (compared with Fernet Branca).
- Garnish – Orange is the default, however some recipes call for lemon. Either can work.
For other variations, consider swapping out the Simple Syrup for Rich Demerara Syrup for a more caramelized notes.