Found in Boothby’s World Drinks in 1934, the Frisco hails from just after prohibition and is named after the established cocktail community. The resulting drink is a simple, strong, and elegant. A simple two part drink, this one is easy to make, and only requires Rye and Benedictine to make.
Frisco
The Frisco is boozy yet almost balanced. The combination of herbal and spicy rye as a base is built upon by the similarly spicy and herbal Benedictine. The combination elevates the spices and herbal notes with just a bit of citrus and sweet. The result is something akin to an old fashioned that’s very focused on spice and herb notes
Drink Notes & Recommendations
The Frisco is very simple to make, the biggest variation I’ve seen is in the ratio of Benedictine and rye. The most common adjustment is to reduce the sweetness by adjusting the ratio to 4 parts rye to 1 part Benedictine.
- Rye – As one of only two ingredients, and the biggest contributor, the rye you choose is critical. We recommend a rye that has a distinct personality, like George Dickel Rye, Rittenhouse, or Wild Turkey 101 Rye. Avoid anything that’s semi-milquetoast in its presentation, like Elijah Craig Rye.
- Benedictine – Due to the herbal notes and honeyed sweetness that go into this brandy based liqueur, we don’t recommend swapping this for anything else. Similar to certain other classics, this is both a specific liqueur and a brand recommendation.
Down the line the Frisco evolves, bringing in citrus. As a result, you rarely see this original variation anymore as many eschew it for the addition of a half ounce each of lemon and lime juice (using the 4:1 ratio).