Toronto
Stir ∙ 3 min ∙ 28.8% ABV ∙
The Toronto is a stirred, spirit-forward whisky cocktail built from Canadian whisky, Fernet Branca, maple syrup, and bitters, served up in a coupe. Silky and cold, with a bittersweet edge that turns herbal on the finish, rounded out by a faint minerality and a bright citrus snap from the twist.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Stir all ingredients with ice: Canadian blended whisky 45 mlFernet Branca liqueur 10 mlMaple syrup 10 mlAngostura aromatic bitters 1 dash
- Fine strain into the chilled glass
- Express an orange twist over the cocktail and discard
- Garnish with a maraschino cherry
Tips
- Pre-chill the coupe before straining so the drink stays cold without extra dilution from a warm glass.
- Stir until well-chilled and lightly diluted; the maple syrup needs the ice contact to fully integrate.
- Express the orange twist directly over the surface before discarding it, so the oils sit on top of the drink.
History
The Toronto first appears in print as the Fernet Cocktail in Robert Vermeire's 1922 book Cocktails: How to Mix Them, which called for cognac or rye whiskey with Fernet Branca, sugar, and Angostura bitters, and noted that the drink was much appreciated by the Canadians of Toronto. It is unclear whether Vermeire, who tended bar in London, encountered the drink through Torontonians abroad or whether it actually originated in Toronto itself; since Ontario's 1921 prohibition referendum had cut off legal imports of spirits, how local drinkers would have obtained the Italian-made Fernet at the time is also unresolved.
A similar bourbon-and-Fernet drink, the King Cole cocktail, had already been published by Hugo Ensslin in 1916, and William Boothby's World Drinks and How to Mix Them listed a version under the Toronto name by 1930. The recipe did not settle into wide use under the Toronto name until David Embury's 1948 book The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks, which swapped in Canadian whisky in place of cognac and fixed the name that stuck. Later versions have also used rye whiskey as the base spirit.
FAQ
What is in a Toronto cocktail?
A Toronto cocktail is Canadian whisky, Fernet Branca, maple syrup, and a dash of aromatic bitters, stirred with ice and fine-strained into a chilled glass. It is finished with an expressed orange twist and a maraschino cherry garnish.
What is a Toronto cocktail?
The Toronto is a stirred, whisky-based cocktail that mixes Canadian whisky with Fernet Branca, a sweetener, and bitters, served up in a coupe. It is a variation on the Old Fashioned family, built around Fernet's bitter, minty character instead of a plain sugar cube.
What does a Toronto cocktail taste like?
It tastes primarily of warm Canadian whisky with a pronounced bitter, herbal, minty edge from the Fernet Branca, softened by a light maple sweetness. At about 28.8% ABV it drinks strong and dry, closer to an Old Fashioned than a sweeter whisky cocktail, with the Fernet keeping the finish sharp rather than smooth.
How do you make a Toronto cocktail?
Stir the whisky, Fernet Branca, maple syrup, and bitters with ice, then fine-strain into a pre-chilled coupe glass. Express an orange twist over the top and discard it, then garnish with a maraschino cherry.
What is a famous Canadian cocktail?
The Toronto is one of the best-known Canadian whisky cocktails, built on Canadian blended whisky with Fernet Branca, maple syrup, and bitters. It is named for the city and stands alongside the Caesar as a signature Canadian drink.
