Boulevardier

A spirit-forward cousin of the Negroni that swaps gin for whiskey, the Boulevardier balances the warmth of bourbon against sweet vermouth and the bittersweet bite of a red aperitivo. It first appeared in print in Harry MacElhone's 1927 Parisian collection Barflies and Cocktails, credited to American expatriate writer Erskine Gwynne, namesake of his own Left Bank magazine. Largely forgotten until Ted Haigh's 2007 revival fixed its modern 3:2:2 proportions, it now stands as a stirred, after-dark classic.

AperitivoClassicSpirit-ForwardBitter Sipper

Ingredients

  • 1.5 ozBourbon
  • 1 ozSweet Vermouth
  • 1 ozBitter Aperitivo

Garnish: Orange Peel

Preparation

Stirred · Coupe · None

  1. 1.

    add

    Combine the bourbon, sweet vermouth, and bitter aperitivo in a mixing glass with ice.

  2. 2.

    stir

    Stir well until properly chilled and diluted.

  3. 3.

    strain

    Strain into a chilled stemmed coupe (or cocktail glass), served straight up with no ice.

  4. 4.

    express

    Express an orange twist over the surface and drop it in as garnish.

Flavor Profile

bitter
41%
body
37%
sweet
35%
spiced
31%
herbal
25%
fruity
24%
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