The Boulevardier Cocktail
Some time ago, I wrote about my experiments with the Negroni. I was using this classic pre-Prohibition cocktail – composed of equal parts gin, Campari, and sweet vermouth – as the basis for a number of mad-scientist concoctions. I discovered that the trifecta of booze, bitter liqueur, and aromatized wine can be mixed and matched to create a nearly-infinite variety of possibilities. And it allowed me to put my ever-growing collection of amari to good use.
In an example of history repeating itself, I inadvertently recreated the Boulevardier. First described in a 1927 bar guide, the Boulevardier replaced the Negroni’s gin with bourbon. That simple substitution completely transformed the drink: the assertiveness of the Negroni, with its sharp bite of juniper and bitter orange, mellowed into a more rounded but equally interesting sipper. The warmth and sweetness of bourbon provided a beautiful counterpart to the bitter, herbal notes from the other ingredients. Additional cocktail research uncovered another variation, the Old Pal. Made with rye whiskey, dry vermouth, and Campari, it was a tad more austere than the Boulevardier but every bit as delicious.
Clearly, I needed to explore this pairing of whiskey and bitter flavors more fully. So I packed up the portable bar and headed over to my buddy J’s place. A native of Kentucky, he nonetheless graciously allowed me to use rye whiskey (drier and spicier than bourbon) for these experiments. We started with the Black Manhattan. The combination of dark chocolate and licorice flavors from Averna with the heat of rye was vaguely reminiscent of bourbon and Coke, albeit a brooding and sophisticated one. Next up was a creation I named Oooh, That’s Good! (because it was!). Gran Classico Bitter amaro brought more complexity than Campari, adding fennel, clove, white pepper, and astringent gentian root to the mix, while Punt e Mes vermouth contributed dried fruits and herbs in equal measure. The final invention, yet to be named, incorporated the earthy, charred rhubarb smokiness of Amaro Sfumato with the vanilla sweetness of Carpano Antico vermouth – the perfect cocktail to end the evening. I’m already looking forward to our next round of drink experiments…
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Oooh, That’s Good!
1 ½ oz. rye whiskey (I used High West Double Rye)
¾ oz. Gran Classico Bitter
¾ oz. Punt e Mes
1 dash aromatic bitters (I used our Old Fashioned bitters)
3 brandied cherries, to garnish (I used home-made)
cocktail shaker, Hawthorne strainer, bar spoon, coupe or rocks glass, cocktail pick, ice
Steps
Combine all ingredients except garnish in shaker
Half-fill with ice and stir until well chilled
Strain into coupe (straight up) or rocks glass (over ice)
Skewer cherries on pick and garnish
(The Drink to Be Named Later)
1 ½ oz. rye whiskey (the High West again)
¾ oz. Amaro Sfumato
¾ oz. Carpano Antico
1 dash rhubarb bitters (I used home-made)
orange peel, to garnish
cocktail shaker, Hawthorne strainer, bar spoon, coupe or rocks glass, peeler, ice
Steps
Combine all ingredients except garnish in shaker
Half-fill with ice and stir until well chilled
Strain into coupe (straight up) or rocks glass (over ice)
Rub orange peel around rim of glass and drop into drink
