Where it came from
The Broken Plane became globally trending in 2025 after content creator Justine Doiron posted a viral TikTok of the recipe. Doiron credited the drink to a small Brooklyn bar that had been serving it under a different name for a couple of years.
It is structurally a riff on Sam Ross’s 2008 Paper Plane (bourbon, Aperol, Amaro Nonino, lemon juice in equal parts). The Broken Plane swaps the bourbon and Amaro Nonino for gin and St-Germain, creating a lighter, brighter, more floral version. The egg white is the modern addition.
What it tastes like
Elderflower up front – floral, lychee-adjacent, sweet. Then the gin’s juniper kicks in, then the lemon brightens it, then the Aperol adds a soft bitter undertone. The egg white foam carries the aromatics directly to your nose with each sip.
Drinks like a perfume in cocktail form. Light at 14% ABV. The kind of drink you order one of and immediately want a second.
The technique
The four ingredients are equal parts (30ml each), plus 15ml egg white. Equal parts cocktails are unforgiving – if any one ingredient is off, the balance collapses. Measure carefully.
Dry shake first, then wet shake. The two-step shake builds maximum foam. Bartenders sometimes add the spring from a Hawthorne strainer to the shaker for the dry shake to break up the egg whites faster.
Double-strain. The fine mesh catches any egg-white solids that did not fully integrate. Drinking egg-white solids is unpleasant and the mesh fixes it.
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Ingredient Spotlight
The bottles that make or break this drink.
Elderflower Liqueur
- What it is
- Liqueur made from elderflower blossoms, typically 20% ABV. St-Germain is the standard, launched in 2007 and still defining the category.
- Why we use it here
- The defining flavour. Floral, slightly tropical, lychee-adjacent.
- Drink Lab pick
- St-Germain. Anything else is a downgrade.
- Substitute
- Elderflower cordial (non-alcoholic) plus a teaspoon of vodka works at a stretch. Skip rose or violet liqueurs – different category.
Gin
- What it is
- London Dry Gin or modern-style. The botanicals carry the cocktail.
- Why we use it here
- Provides the alcoholic backbone and complements the elderflower with juniper and citrus.
- Drink Lab pick
- Tanqueray, Beefeater, or Hendrick’s for a more floral version.
- Substitute
- Vodka makes a flatter version. Skip whiskey or rum – they fight the elderflower.
Variations
Other modern equal-parts cocktails worth ordering.
What if I don’t have…
Quick substitutions for when the bottle shop is closed.
Elderflower cordial + 1 teaspoon vodka works. Substitution doesn’t fully replicate the flavour but is decent.
Campari makes a darker, more bitter version. Lillet Rose works for a softer take.
2 teaspoons of aquafaba (chickpea water) – actually works perfectly and is the vegan substitute. Or skip the foam entirely.
Bottled lemon juice is acceptable here because the egg white softens any acidity issues.
Frequently Asked Questions
Direct answers to what people search for after Googling this drink.
What is in a Broken Plane?
Why is it called the Broken Plane?
Is the Broken Plane safe to drink raw egg white?
Can you make a Broken Plane without egg white?
Is the Broken Plane strong?
Where did the Broken Plane come from?
What does a Broken Plane taste like?
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