Paper Plane cocktail in a coupe — Lemon juice

Paper Plane Cocktail Recipe

sour bitter balanced

bourbon, aperol, amaro nonino, lemon juice

History

The Paper Plane was created by Sam Ross in 2007–2008 as a favor for Toby Maloney’s new Chicago bar, The Violet Hour. An equal-parts riff on the classic Last Word, it originally used Campari before Ross switched to the softer Aperol for better balance. Named after the M.I.A. song “Paper Planes,” it is bourbon, Aperol, Amaro Nonino, and lemon in 1:1:1:1. Amaro Nonino is the bottle this drink actually needs — a generic amaro from the pantry will taste close, not the same. If bourbon, Aperol, and lemon are already on the shelf, this is the equal-parts sour to mix before you buy another bitter.

Ingredients

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How to make

  1. Chill a coupe in the freezer — this drink is equal parts and served up, with no ice in the glass.
  2. Add ¾ oz bourbon, ¾ oz Aperol, ¾ oz Amaro Nonino, and ¾ oz fresh lemon juice to a shaker with ice.
  3. Measure each pour; eyeballing equal parts is how it goes sweet.
  4. Shake hard until the shaker frosts.
  5. Double-strain into the chilled coupe so it stays clear and tart.
  6. No garnish is traditional.
  7. A lemon peel is fine if you want aroma from the pantry citrus.

Glassware

Coupe

A wide bowl shows aroma and holds stirred or shaken drinks without stemware tipping over as easily as a V-shaped martini glass.

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Coupe glassware

Paper Plane FAQ

What is in a Paper Plane cocktail?

Equal parts bourbon, Aperol, Amaro Nonino, and lemon juice — ¾ oz each — shaken and served up in a coupe. No garnish is traditional. A generic amaro from the pantry will taste close, not the same.

What ingredients are in a Paper Plane?

A Paper Plane is made with bourbon, aperol, amaro nonino, and lemon juice. Amounts and pantry matching are in the ingredients list on this page.

How do you make a Paper Plane?

Chill a coupe in the freezer — this drink is equal parts and served up, with no ice in the glass. Add ¾ oz bourbon, ¾ oz Aperol, ¾ oz Amaro Nonino, and ¾ oz fresh lemon juice to a shaker with ice. Measure each pour; eyeballing equal parts is how it goes sweet. Shake hard until the shaker frosts. Double-strain into the chilled coupe so it stays clear and tart. No garnish is traditional. A lemon peel is fine if you want aroma from the pantry citrus.

What glass do you serve a Paper Plane in?

Serve a Paper Plane in a Coupe. A wide bowl shows aroma and holds stirred or shaken drinks without stemware tipping over as easily as a V-shaped martini glass.

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