Ingredients
- 3/4 oz Bourbon Whiskey
- 3/4 oz Aperol
- 3/4 oz bitter liqueur
- 3/4 oz lemon juice
Instructions
Fill the Shaker:
- Fill a cocktail shaker with ice.
Add Ingredients:
- Add 3/4 oz bourbon whiskey, 3/4 oz Aperol, 3/4 oz Amaro Nonino, and 3/4 oz lemon juice to the shaker.
Shake Well:
- Shake the ingredients vigorously until the shaker is well-chilled.
Strain:
- Strain the mixture into a coupe glass.
Garnish (Optional):
- Optionally, garnish the cocktail with a lemon twist or a small paper plane for a playful touch.
Serve:
- Serve immediately and enjoy your balanced and flavorful Paper Plane cocktail.
Notes
Estimated Nutrition:
Where it came from
Sam Ross created the Paper Plane in 2008 at the Violet Hour in Chicago. Ross was on the opening team and built the drink for the menu. He named it after the M.I.A. song that was everywhere that year. Toby Maloney printed it. The drink immediately became a touchstone of the modern cocktail movement.
The 1:1:1:1 ratio is part of why bartenders adopted it so fast: easy to remember, easy to teach, easy to scale. The combination of bourbon, Aperol, amaro, and lemon turned out to be a brilliant balance of bitter, sweet, citrus, and spirit.
What it tastes like
Bittersweet up front from the Aperol and amaro, lemon brightness in the middle, and bourbon weight on the finish. Drinks like a sour with serious bitterness, in a good way.
The Amaro Nonino is non-negotiable. Other amari (Montenegro, Averna) make the drink sweeter or more bitter and shift the whole balance. Nonino sits in the middle: gentian, herbs, light caramel, not too sweet.
The technique
22ml each of bourbon, Aperol, Amaro Nonino, and fresh lemon juice. Shake hard with ice for 12 seconds and double-strain into a chilled coupe. Garnish with a lemon twist or a paper plane (folded napkin or a real paper cocktail garnish if you've got one).
Shake harder than you think you need to. Four equal-volume ingredients of different viscosities need real integration. A short shake produces a flat drink.
Drink Buddy Exclusive
Tell us what's in your cabinet.
Our Cocktail Builder takes whatever bottles you've got and hands you every drink you can actually make tonight.
Get the Drink Buddy newsletter
One drink, one tip, one Tuesday a month.
Plus the recipes we drop before they hit the site. Zero spam.
Ingredient Spotlight
The bottles that make or break this drink.
The bourbon
- Use
- Buffalo Trace, Wild Turkey 101, Eagle Rare
- Skip
- High-rye bourbons (Bulleit) or wheaters (Maker's Mark)
- Why
- Standard bourbon brings the right balance of corn sweetness and oak. Rye-heavy fights the bitters; wheat is too soft.
The Aperol
- Use
- Aperol (the original Italian aperitif)
- Skip
- Campari (much more bitter, makes a different drink)
- Why
- Aperol is the gentle bittersweet that the recipe calls for. Campari turns the drink into a Last Word cousin.
The Amaro Nonino
- Use
- Amaro Nonino Quintessentia
- Try
- Amaro Montenegro for a softer, sweeter version
- Why
- Nonino is the canonical match. Montenegro works as a sub but shifts the balance.
Variations
Other modern bartender-built classics for serious cocktail bars.
What if I don't have…
Quick substitutions for when the bottle shop is closed.
Amaro Montenegro (sweeter), Amaro Averna (heavier), or any medium-bodied amaro. Each shifts the drink's balance.
Campari (more bitter) or Cappelletti. Both make a more aggressive drink.
Rye whiskey works but is sharper. Reposado tequila makes a Mexican Paper Plane (real drink, real recipe).
Don't. The lemon is the entire balance point.
Drop amaro to 18ml and bump bourbon to 25ml. Loses some character, gains drinkability.
Frequently Asked Questions
Direct answers to what people search for after Googling this drink.
What is in a Paper Plane?
Equal parts bourbon, Aperol, Amaro Nonino, and fresh lemon juice. Standard spec: 22ml of each, shaken with ice and double-strained into a coupe.
How do you make a Paper Plane?
Combine 22ml bourbon, 22ml Aperol, 22ml Amaro Nonino, and 22ml fresh lemon juice in a shaker. Add ice and shake hard for 12 seconds. Double-strain into a chilled coupe. Garnish with a lemon twist.
Where did the Paper Plane come from?
Sam Ross created it in 2008 at the Violet Hour in Chicago, named after the M.I.A. song that was everywhere that year. The drink became a modern classic almost immediately.
Why is the Paper Plane so popular?
The 1:1:1:1 ratio is easy to remember, the ingredients are accessible to most cocktail bars, and the flavour balance is excellent. It introduced amaro to a generation of cocktail drinkers.
What does a Paper Plane taste like?
Bittersweet, citrus-led, with bourbon warmth on the finish. The Aperol and amaro provide complexity without dominating. The lemon ties everything together.
Can I use a different amaro?
Yes. Amaro Montenegro is the most common substitute (sweeter). Amaro Averna is heavier and richer. Each amaro changes the drink's personality.
Paper Plane vs Last Word?
Both are equal-parts (1:1:1:1) modern classics. Paper Plane uses bourbon, Aperol, amaro, lemon. Last Word uses gin, Chartreuse, maraschino, lime. Different bitter ingredients, different spirits, different drinks.
How strong is a Paper Plane?
Around 18 to 22 percent ABV in the glass after dilution. Mid-range cocktail strength. Easy to drink.
What bourbon should I use?
Standard bourbon: Buffalo Trace, Wild Turkey 101, Eagle Rare, or Old Forester. Avoid high-rye bourbons or wheaters; both shift the balance.
What glass should I use?
A coupe or Nick and Nora. Served up. The drink is bright orange-amber and looks good in a clear glass.
More Like This
More cocktails when you want bitter, citrus, and complexity.
