When the dark days of Prohibition brought American cocktailery to a screeching halt in 1920, esteemed bartenders across the nation were suddenly put out of their jobs.
This didn’t sit particularly well with one Harry MacElhone, who held great pride in his place of honor behind the Plaza Hotel bar in New York City. So rather than give up his shaker and spoon for good, Harry hopped the pond—first to a new joint called Ciro’s in London, then to its sister establishment in France.
But it was only with the establishment of his own bar, the aptly named Harry’s New York Bar, in Paris that MacElhone really hit his stride. In his tenure behind the bar there, he was responsible for creating a panoply of cocktails that have stood the test of time—including the venerable Boulevardier.
First revealed in MacElhone’s 1927 book Barflies and Cocktails, the Boulevardier was a cocktail ahead of its time. Substituting American bourbon for the Negroni’s usual gin, Harry created a stiff and robust beverage that’s as delicious today as it was in the 1920s.
To make one for yourself, you’ll need a few ingredients, a piece or two of bar equipment, and just a bit of bartending know-how. Thankfully, I can point you towards all three.
Boulevardier Ingredients
The Boulevardier requires three ingredients—bourbon, sweet vermouth, and Campari—and a fresh orange to peel a twist off of.
Your choice of bourbon here will determine the overall character of the drink. An affordable standby like Four Roses Yellow Label will give a smooth, mellow, malty character to a Boulevardier, while their higher-proof Single Barrel expression will carry a lot more punch. Or you can go to the very ends of the bourbon spectrum for a barrel-strength brew like Booker’s, which will knock your socks off and steal the center stage of the drink at the same time.
Choose a sweet vermouth that will match the intensity of your bourbon. Dolin Sweet Vermouth is a mild and friendly fortified wine, while Carpano Antica Formula Vermouth is a bold and powerful tipple that can stand up to the strongest of bourbon flavors. Cocchi Vermouth di Torino falls right between the two, and plays well with most any whiskey.
And Campari? There’s no substitute, so go with the original.
How to Make A Boulevardier
- 1 ounce whiskey
- 1 ounce sweet vermouth
- 1 ounce Campari
- Garnish with a an orange twist, optional
Once you’ve collected your ingredients, put a few big ice cubes into your fanciest rocks glass. At this point, making the drink couldn’t be simpler: Just measure out equal portions of all three ingredients (one ounce of each will do the trick), pour them over the ice, and give it all a stir for 20 to 30 seconds. Then take a thin peel off of your fresh orange, and express its oils over the top of your Boulevardier.
Et voila! Ready to drink.
Variations On A Theme
Do you remember how I said there is no substitute for Campari? Well, I lied. Sort of.
See, Campari is of a class of cocktail ingredients called amari, which is Italian for “bitter”. There’s a whole range of different amari that you can choose from—too many to explain fully here—and many of them make for a wonderful substitute in a Boulevardier.
Cynar is, strange as it sounds, an artichoke-based bitter liqueur. It has a roasted vegetal character, with a pronounced bitterness and dark caramel tones on the finish. That makes it a natural pairing with bourbon’s sweet caramel tones, and a fine way to spice up your Boulevardier.
You can also consider replacing the bourbon in your Boulevardier with a nice rye whiskey. Rittenhouse Rye is my favorite here, with 100 proof and pronounced black pepper spice on the nose. It is phenomenal when mixed with the Cynar I mentioned above.
Lastly, you can consider using a different style of vermouth to change up your cocktail. Dolin’s Dry Vermouth will make for a cocktail that’s even less sweet than the original, with a more noticeable herbal flavor and aroma.
No matter which way you slice it, the Boulevardier is a wonderful drink. Cheers to enjoying a few throughout your work week.
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