The Old Pal is a dry, whiskey-based Negroni variation, leaner and more bitter than a Boulevardier. Profile: * Dry, bitter, spicy, with less sweetness than a Boulevardier Origin: * 1920s * Attributed to Harry MacElhone (ABC of Mixing Cocktails, 1922) * Named after journalist William “Sparrow” Robinson Quick note: Think of it as a Boulevardier with dry vermouth instead of sweet, sharper and more aperitif-style.