🥃 Boulevardier

Boulevardier is a classic cocktail of bourbon or rye whiskey, red bitter Campari and sweet red vermouth, stirred with ice and served with an orange twist. It is often called the whiskey version of the Negroni, because bourbon replaces the gin. The International Bartenders Association (IBA) lists the Boulevardier among "The Unforgettables".

History. The recipe was first printed in 1927 in "Barflies and Cocktails", a book by the Paris bartender Harry MacElhone, in a chapter written by Arthur Moss, a columnist for the Paris edition of the New York Herald. The cocktail is credited to the American writer Erskine Gwynne, one of the founders of the monthly "Boulevardier", which was published in Paris in 1927–1932. The magazine gave the cocktail its name.

Proportions. Moss's original description used equal parts: one third Campari, one third Italian vermouth, one third bourbon. The IBA specifies 45 ml of bourbon or rye whiskey, 30 ml of Campari and 30 ml of vermouth: stir with ice, strain into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with an orange twist. Difford's Guide suggests a 2:1:1 ratio, served in a short glass with a large ice cube.

Relatives. The closest is the Negroni with gin. The Americano uses the same Campari and vermouth but no strong spirit, topped up with soda. Rye instead of bourbon gives a drier, spicier version, and the IBA allows both.

Why it matters to you. The bittersweet taste hides the strength: one serving contains 45 ml of whiskey plus the bitter and the vermouth, about 26% ABV by Difford's Guide's calculation. An opened vermouth is a wine, so keep it in the fridge. WHO reminds us: there is no safe amount of alcohol.