This Classic 1930s Cocktail Has Three Ingredients and a Tropical Kick

The Algonquin is a post-Prohibition era cocktail combining rye whiskey, dry vermouth and pineapple juice. 

The simple, three-ingredient recipe we’re most familiar with today, originally named the New Algonquin, was first featured in wine and restaurant critic G. Selmer Fougner’s 1935 book, Along the Wine Trail: An Anthology of Wines and Spirits. 

Fougner, a columnist at The Sun newspaper, was considered the first drinks writer in the U.S., and his book was developed from a daily column he wrote for the paper directly after the repeal of Prohibition in 1933.

The cocktail is said to be named after the historic Algonquin Hotel in New York City, made famous at the height of Prohibition for regularly hosting a lunchtime gathering of writers, critics, artists and tastemakers — a group that would later be known as the Algonquin Round Table.

What makes the Algonquin work?

The classic recipe in Fougner’s book calls for “two parts rye, one part French vermouth, one part pineapple juice.” Though it’s not directly mentioned in the book, it’s thought (from its omission) that the original method of combining the ingredients was to stir over ice, rather than shake. 

The recipe featured here most closely resembles the one featured in Ted Haigh’s 2009 book Vintage Spirits And Forgotten Cocktails. It doesn’t stray too far from the original specs, but is shaken over ice to fully incorporate the pineapple juice with the rye whiskey and dry vermouth. Shaking the drink will also allow for some slight dilution, and the agitation will result in a frothy top due to the high enzyme content in the pineapple juice.

The Algonquin is a fairly dry cocktail with an understated flavor profile. The drink benefits from a robust, higher proof rye whiskey to serve as the backbone and a fruit-forward dry vermouth such as Dolin or Cocchi. 

It’s also worth noting that fresh pineapple juice, without added sugar, is preferable in this cocktail. The bright, sweet tart flavors of fresh pineapple will beautifully counter the spiciness of the whiskey and herbaceous notes in the vermouth.