The Suburban is a pre-Prohibition libation that was first served in the old Waldorf Astoria Hotel, now the site of the Empire State Building in Manhattan. A favorite cocktail writer, David Wondrich expounded on it recently and what caught my attention was his description: “This dark, rich and masculine pre-Prohibition classic…” How could I go wrong?

According to Wondrich, the cocktail is named, not for the hordes of commuters taking trains from Penn Station, but instead the drink was named for a horse race, the Suburban Handicap that was run every June at Sheepshead Bay. Today the race is run at Belmont and I’m sure they serve a few of these very manly cocktails at post time.

Ladies and gentlemen, I present the Suburban:

1 oz.      Ruby Port (I use Offley)

½ oz.    Aged Rum (I use Zacapa Solera 23)

1-½ oz. Rye Whiskey (I use Bulleit)

Garnish with a lemon peel

Combine and stir all ingredients with ice. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with the lemon peel.

Cheers!