Where: The Harbord Room, 89 Harbord, at Robert, 416-962-8989
How: ¾ oz Plymouth gin, ¾ oz green Chartreuse, ¾ oz Luxardo Maraschino liqueur, ¾ oz lime juice. Shake on ice, serve straight up.
How much: $11
The experience: This concoction debuted at the Detroit Athletic Club in 1951, and after ingesting this drink, I felt very fit. Only the Harbord Room’s space restrictions prevented a brisk set of jumping jacks.
This is an excellent example of what carefully considered ingredients will do for a drink. Plymouth delivers the surgical precision of great gin, the liqueurs usher in sweetness chaperoned by fruity depth and herbal intrigue. Fresh lime reiterates the bracing base spirit. Classic sweet-and-sour.
The Harbord Room serves the Word in a delicate, dainty, etched coupe. That’s typical of Dave Mitton’s uniform standard of excellence. Well-researched, expertly made drinks are dispatched with the avuncular aplomb befitting the Jay-Z of Toronto’s cocktail scene.