Paper Plane
Bourbon, Amaro Nonino, Aperol and fresh lemon shaken in equal parts into a bright, bittersweet modern classic. The Paper Plane is citrusy and herbal, with enough bourbon character to give the drink structure without making it heavy.
Recept på Paper Plane
- Bourbon whiskey 30 ml
- Amaro Nonino 30 ml
- Aperol 30 ml
- Lemon juice 30 ml
- Ice 150 g, for shaking
Make it properly
- Chill your coupe or cocktail glass.
- Add the bourbon, Amaro Nonino, Aperol and fresh lemon juice to a cocktail shaker.
- Add 150 g ice.
- Shake firmly until the drink is thoroughly chilled. A relatively short shake is enough—you want good chilling and dilution without making the drink watery.
- Fine strain into the chilled glass.
- Serve immediately, without ice or garnish.
WHAT MAKES A GOOD PAPER PLANE?
The defining feature is its equal-parts construction: bourbon, Amaro Nonino, Aperol and fresh lemon juice.
It follows the same broad equal-parts idea as the Last Word, although the ingredients are completely different. Sam Ross created the Paper Plane in 2008 as a riff on the Last Word for Chicago's The Violet Hour. The established version eventually used Aperol after an earlier iteration with Campari proved more bitter.
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PAPER PLANE RECIPE, INGREDIENTS & TIPS
The Paper Plane is built on one of the simplest structures in modern cocktail making: four ingredients in equal proportions. But each performs a very different job. Bourbon supplies warmth, body and whiskey character. Amaro Nonino introduces herbal, citrus and bittersweet complexity. Aperol brings softer orange bitterness and sweetness, while fresh lemon provides the acidity that keeps everything bright. The result sits somewhere between a whiskey sour and a bitter Italian aperitivo cocktail. Despite containing two bitter liqueurs, a properly made Paper Plane should not taste aggressively bitter.
THE BEST INGREDIENTS FOR A PAPER PLANE
Start with a good bourbon whiskey. You don't need an unusually expensive bottle, but avoid something so light that it disappears behind the amaro and Aperol. Ross has recommended slightly higher-proof bourbon, around 43–46% ABV, to give the cocktail more body.
For the amaro, use Amaro Nonino. This isn't simply a recipe calling for any generic Italian amaro: Nonino is part of the established Paper Plane formula and gives the drink its characteristic herbal and bittersweet profile.
Use Aperol, not Campari, for the standard modern recipe. The softer bitterness and orange character of Aperol are important to the balance.
Finally, use fresh lemon juice. With a full 30 ml in each drink, citrus is a major component rather than a minor accent.
HOW TO BALANCE A PAPER PLANE
The Paper Plane works because no single ingredient is supposed to dominate.
Bourbon gives the cocktail its backbone. A bourbon with enough character to remain noticeable after shaking works particularly well.
Amaro Nonino bridges the whiskey and the Italian aperitif, bringing herbal complexity and a softer bittersweet character.
Aperol provides orange-led bitterness and sweetness without the more assertive bitterness of Campari.
Fresh lemon juice is essential to the balance. Its acidity cuts through the sweetness of both liqueurs and gives the drink its crisp finish.
Keep the ingredients at 30 ml each rather than trying to make the drink sweeter or stronger. The simplicity of the equal-parts formula is part of what makes the Paper Plane work.
THE STORY BEHIND THE PAPER PLANE
The Paper Plane is unusually young compared with cocktails such as the Manhattan, Negroni or Sazerac.
Bartender Sam Ross created it in 2008 for the menu at The Violet Hour in Chicago. Ross has described it as a riff on the equal-parts Last Word.
An early version used Campari, but Ross found it too bitter and changed the recipe to Aperol. Bourbon, Amaro Nonino and lemon remained central to the drink.
The cocktail subsequently became closely associated with the modern cocktail revival and is now included on the IBA's official cocktail list.
TECHNIQUE
The Paper Plane should be shaken, not stirred, because it contains fresh lemon juice.
Add all four liquid ingredients to the shaker before adding ice. Shake until thoroughly cold, but avoid excessive dilution. Ross specifically advises against overshaking the cocktail because it can become watery.
SERVE IT PROPERLY
Serve the Paper Plane straight up in a chilled coupe or cocktail glass, without serving ice.
The IBA specifies a chilled cocktail glass and no garnish.
A small paper plane is sometimes used as a decorative garnish, but it isn't necessary for the Drinkero version. Keeping the drink ungarnished makes the serve clean and consistent.
Questions about the Paper Plane
What is in a Paper Plane cocktail?
A Paper Plane contains equal parts bourbon whiskey, Amaro Nonino, Aperol and fresh lemon juice. The current IBA recipe specifies 30 ml of each ingredient.
What does a Paper Plane taste like?
It is bright, citrusy, bittersweet and herbal. Bourbon provides warmth and structure, while Aperol and Amaro Nonino add orange, botanical and bitter notes.
Can I replace Amaro Nonino with another amaro?
You can experiment, but it will change the character of the cocktail. Amaro Nonino is part of the established Paper Plane recipe, so it is the preferred choice when making the classic version.
Can I use Campari instead of Aperol?
An early version of the drink did use Campari, but Sam Ross later switched to Aperol because the original combination was too bitter. Aperol is now used in the established recipe.
Does a Paper Plane need a garnish?
No. The official IBA specification lists no garnish, which is also how I recommend serving it on Drinkero.
What glass should I use for a Paper Plane?
Use a chilled coupe or cocktail glass. The drink is served straight up without ice.
Who invented the Paper Plane cocktail?
Bartender Sam Ross created the Paper Plane in 2008 for The Violet Hour in Chicago.
Is the Paper Plane an official IBA cocktail?
Yes. The Paper Plane is included on the International Bartenders Association's official cocktail list. See the IBA's official Paper Plane recipe