Easy Paper Plane Cocktail - An Equal Parts Delicious Cocktail

❓ What is a Paper Plane Cocktail?

Despite having taken the bartending world by storm, the history of this magnificent amaro drink is quite short. In fact, it didn’t make its debut until 2007! An original recipe created by award-winning bartender Sam Ross for the swanky Chicago Wicker Park speakeasy – The Violet Hour – the Paper Plane, a bourbon cocktail, was designed as a modern take of the Last Word cocktail and named after the M.I.A. song that was an absolute hit! 

While the inspirational Last Word was made from equal parts gin, green Chartreuse, maraschino liqueur, and lime juice, the Paper Plane drink is a lemony aperol bourbon amaro cocktail. 

At first glance, the two might seem worlds apart since they are made with different spirits; however, after sipping the two side-by-side you’d be hard-pressed not to see the resemblance. They're both an "equal parts cocktail" made using the same template of a 1:1:1:1 ratio of ingredients using a single primary spirit buoyed by bittersweet liqueurs and a bright burst of fresh citrus. 

⭐ Why You’ll Love This Recipe 

With a brightly cheerful hue and a grown-up palate of bittersweet, earthy, and sour flavors, you’ll definitely want to keep this Paper Plane delicious cocktail recipe in your happy hour rotation. Best of all, you only need 4 ingredients and a single measurement to pull it off, equal parts of each ingredient makes it easy enough to shake up from memory.

Looking for more Italian amaro new cocktail drinks to try? Try this Amaro Spritz, Aperol Negroni Sour Cocktail, or Rye and Cynar Cocktail!

🍴Ingredients

Making Mixologist-level cocktails at home isn’t difficult, but does require the right ingredients. Make sure to reach for high-quality bottles and fresh fruit to make this Paper Airplane drink really sing and taste like you ordered from your local cocktail bars!

• Amaro Nonino - One of many Italian Amaris, this bittersweet, golden-hued liqueur is made from a grappa base laced with botanicals, orange peel, and herbs found in most liquor stores.
• Aperol - While this bitter aperitif is made with many ingredients, it is primarily flavored with gentian root and rhubarb with a bright orange color. It also has a relatively high sugar content and a low ABV of just 11%, making it more approachable for people who are new to bitter cocktail territory, famous for the aperol spritz.
• Bourbon Whiskey - Ross, the creator of the original Paper Plane recipe, suggests using a heftier good bourbon with an alcohol content in the 43-46% range for added body.
• Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice - If you truly want to emulate the flavors of a cocktail bar, make sure you follow the cardinal rule: only use freshly squeezed citrus. The bottled kind is flavored with essential oils which gives them a ruddy, bitter taste rather than the bright acidity and citrus flavour we crave.

🛠️ Equipment

You don’t need much to make this fancy Paper Plane drink recipe at home. Here’s what to grab:

• Cocktail Shaker - If you don’t have a proper one, try using a mason jar with a tight-fitting lid.
• Cocktail Strainer - Some styles of cocktail shakers have them built right in. If not, you can also swap in your mesh strainer from the kitchen.
• Aperitivo Drink Glasses - This bourbon aperol amaro drink is very intentionally potent and should be served up. Serve in an appropriately sized glass (e.g. mini martini glasses, coupe glasses, or sherry glasses) for the full luxurious effect.

📖 Step by Step Instructions

It seriously couldn’t be easier to pull off this newfangled classic cocktail at home. Here’s how to make one of my favorite cocktails:

Step 1: Shake. Add equal amounts of all ingredients to a cocktail shaker with ice and shake vigorously for 30-45 seconds.

Step 2: Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

Step 3: Garnish & Serve. A wide strip of orange or lemon peel, lemon twist and/or a small, hand-folded paper airplane garnish. Cheers!

⏲️ Substitutions & Variations

Once you try the cocktail Paper Plane, you’ll understand why it’s considered a modern classic. That said, there are a few variations worth considering, depending on what is already on your bar cart:

• Paper Kamikaze - Swap in dark rum for the bourbon.
• Extra Bitter Paper Plane - Swap in Campari for the Aperol. In fact, this was what Ross used for the original Paper Plane, but then decided that Aperol had a better balance.
• Budget Version - Swap in Grand Marnier and a few dashes of Angostura bitters for the Amaro Nonino.

👩🏻‍🍳 Expert Tips

• Shake vigorously to aerate, but be careful not to dilute. You’re aiming for about 45 seconds of hard shaking before you strain.
• Use high-quality ingredients. Use fresh lemon juice and the best amaro and bourbon brands you can afford.
• Use a jigger for equal measurement. This recipe calls for ¾ ounce aperol, ¾ ounce bourbon, ¾ ounce lemon juice, and ¾ ounce amaro nonino before you're ready to shake!

💭 Recipe FAQs

More Beverages to Try