Boulevardier Cocktail – A Beautiful Mess

Let’s learn the classic recipe for a Boulevardier cocktail. Using Campari, bourbon (or rye whiskey) and sweet vermouth you can mix this stiff, flavorful cocktail.

This drink is like a bourbon version of a Negroni. If you remove the gin and add bourbon, you have a Boulevardier. Another distinction is that while the Negroni calls for equal parts of all ingredients, this recipe calls for a larger proportion of bourbon. This drink is also considered the winter cousin to the Negroni—making it perfect for December.

More classic drink recipes: Old Fashioned, Manhattan, Negroni, Rusty Nail, Paper Plane.

Ingredients

• Bourbon – This classic recipe calls for bourbon; however, rye whiskey is another popular option. 
• Campari – Campari gives this drink its bright orange color and intense bitter, citrus and spice flavor. 
• Sweet Vermouth 
• Orange Twist – As garnish.

The best glassware to serve a Boulevardier cocktail in is a double old fashioned glass. An oversized ice cube is a great choice as well.

Directions

Pour bourbon, Campari and sweet vermouth into a mixing glass. Add ice and stir for 20 seconds, until well-chilled.

Strain into a rocks glass over an oversized ice cube. 

Garnish with an orange twist.

Tips for Making

• Bourbon creates a smoother, sweeter drink while rye whiskey creates a spicier cocktail. 
• In addition to an orange twist, a luxardo cherry is a popular garnish to add to this drink. 
• You can try an equal parts recipe or the slightly more bourbon-centered recipe that we share here. Compare them and see which you prefer. I personally prefer a bit of extra bourbon.

History

Loosely translated, the word Boulevardier is French for a man-about-town. This drink is credited to Erskine Gwynne in the 1920s. Gwynne had a magazine by the same name at the time and it’s easy to imagine that this drink recipe was a natural extension of his brand. Other reports credit this drink to Harry McElhone, the founder of Harry’s New York Bar in Paris. Harry gets credit for a lot of classic cocktails, so this seems a likely tale as well. He was the first to publish this recipe in his 1927 book, Barflies and Cocktails.

Serving Suggestions

FAQ