Paper Plane Recipe: Bourbon, Aperol and Amaro

Paper Plane

Equal measures make it easy to remember, and the result tastes far more complex than the recipe suggests. Orange peel bitterness from Aperol, caramel and herbs from the amaro, a warm bourbon base and sharp lemon, all in a glowing orange coupe.

4.6Editors’ rating

Taste4.6

Balance4.7

Easy to make4

Popularity55

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GlassCoupe

TechniqueShaken

DifficultyEasy

Time3 min

StrengthMedium (approx. 18 % ABV)

OriginUnited States, 2000s

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Ingredients

1 oz bourbone.g. Maker's Mark · Buffalo Trace · Woodford Reserve · Wild Turkey · Jim Beam
1 oz AperolBuy on Amazon →
1 oz Amaro Nonino Amaro Nonino QuintessentiaBuy on Amazon →
1 oz lemon juice

Garnish: No garnish (a small paper plane is a popular bar joke) · Ice: Served up, no ice

Method

Chill a coupe with ice water or in the freezer.
Add bourbon, Aperol, Amaro Nonino and lemon juice to a shaker.
Fill with ice and shake hard for 10 to 12 seconds.
Double strain into the chilled coupe and serve without garnish.

Watch it made

Paper Plane

Taste

Bittersweet orange, honeyed herbs and bourbon warmth, with a clean lemon edge. Medium bodied and remarkably balanced for such a simple formula.

History and origin

The Paper Plane was created by Australian bartender Sam Ross, best known for his years at Milk & Honey in New York. He developed it in the late 2000s for the opening menu of The Violet Hour in Chicago, and the name is a nod to the M.I.A. song "Paper Planes", which was everywhere at the time.

Ross has said that his first version used Campari, and that he soon switched to Aperol, which gave the drink the lighter, rounder balance it is known for today. The template of four ingredients in equal parts links it to the Last Word, one of the most copied formulas of the cocktail revival. The Paper Plane spread quickly from bar to bar and later joined the IBA list of New Era Drinks.

Bartender tips

Amaro Nonino is hard to replace: other amari work, but the drink becomes darker and more bitter.
A bourbon around 45% ABV holds its own better against the three other ingredients than a soft one.
For a batch, mix the three spirits in advance and add fresh lemon juice just before shaking.

Variations

Original with Campari: Swap Aperol for Campari, as in Sam Ross's first draft: noticeably more bitter and deeper red.
Rye Paper Plane: Use rye whiskey instead of bourbon for a drier, spicier version.