Some say the Algonquin was created at New York’s famous hotel — in the era of Dorothy Parker — others say it was merely inspired by the famous “round table” there. Either way, I doubt Ms. Parker drank this concoction. Surely she would have eschewed something as jejune as pineapple juice in her drink. (She was particularly fond of whiskey sours, by the way.)

Anyway, the Algonquin — a blend of rye, dry vermouth, and pineapple juice — isn’t the easiest drink to pull off — as the vermouth can easily dominate the beverage. My personal, simple fix: Dial back the vermouth and add a generous few dashes of fruit-heavy bitters to add some balance. Orange bitters are the most readily available, but I also had good luck with Bitters Lab‘s Peach & Cayenne Bitters. Peychaud’s also works — though it will tweak the color of the drink a bit.

Algonquin Cocktail
1 1/2 oz rye whiskey
3/4 oz pineapple juice
1/2 oz dry vermouth
4-5 dashes orange bitters (or other fruit bitters)

Shake all ingredients with ice. Strain into a chilled martini glass.