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Cocktail History
The Paper Plane is a modern cocktail that was created in the late 2000s by Sam Ross at Milk & Honey in New York City, New York. Though essentially a reworked Last Word, this equal-parts recipe combines four completely different ingredients, including bourbon, Aperol, lemon, and the unique Amaro Nonino Quintessentia, to amazing effect. Its name is also believed to be in reference to the M.I.A. song “Paper Planes,” of which Sasha Petraske (Ross’s coworker at the time of the drink’s creation) was a fan.
Cocktail Ingredients
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:
Bourbon: This is a type of whiskey made in the United States with at least 51% corn, grains, malted barley, and water. I used Four Roses Bourbon Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey.
Aperol: This is an apéritif made in Italy with gentian root, rhubarb, cinchona, sugar, and alcohol.
Amaro Nonino Quintessentia: This is a bitter liqueur made in Italy with grappa, fruits, herbs, botanicals, and alcohol.
Lemon Juice: This is the liquid juice of a lemon. I used freshly squeezed lemon juice.
Lemon Peel: This is the peel of a lemon that has been cut into a strip.
Bartending Tools
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following bar tools:
Jigger: This is used to measure and pour ingredients. I used the Japanese jigger from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.
Boston Shaker: This is used to shake ingredients. I used the Boston shaker from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.
Hawthorne Strainer: This is used to strain out ice and solid ingredients after the cocktail is shaken. I used the A Bar Above Hawthorne Strainer.
Paring Knife: This is used to cut ingredients. I used the OXO Good Grips 3.5 Inch Paring Knife.
Juicer: This is used to juice citrus. I used the ALEEHAI Manual Fruit Juicer.
Peeler: This is used to remove the garnish peel from the citrus. I used the OXO Good Grips 2-Piece Peeler Set.
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Tasting Notes
This cocktail has the following flavor profile:
• Appearance: Vibrant red-orange color
• Aroma: Citrus and amaro
• Taste: Well-balanced flavor that leads with citrus before marrying it to bitter and herbal notes
• Finish: Spicy bourbon and lingering bitterness
Kendall’s Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Kendall’s Take: “I’m not usually big on Aperol, but as far as those drinks go, this is one of my new favorites! The Paper Plane has a sourness that makes you want to keep right on sipping, and it’s perfectly balanced so no one flavor overwhelms the others. I would definitely drink one of these again.”
Recipe
This cocktail recipe was adapted from The Essential Cocktail Book: A Complete Guide to Modern Drinks by the editors of PUNCH and Megan Krigbaum.
This post contains affiliate links, meaning we make a small commission each time you purchase a product using our links. Product images sourced from Amazon Product Advertising API. Amazon affiliate links last updated on 2025-02-14.
Paper Plane
The Paper Plane is a modern cocktail that was created in the late 2000s by Sam Ross at Milk & Honey in New York City, New York. Though essentially a reworked Last Word, this equal-parts recipe combines four completely different ingredients, including bourbon, Aperol, lemon, and the unique Amaro Nonino Quintessentia, to amazing effect. Its name is also believed to be in reference to the M.I.A. song "Paper Planes," of which Sasha Petraske (Ross's coworker at the time of the drink's creation) was a fan.
Ingredients
Method
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Add bourbon, Aperol, amaro nonino, lemon juice, and cubed ice to a shaker.
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Shake for 10-20 seconds.
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Strain into a cocktail glass.
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Garnish with lemon peel.
