Boulevardier cocktail recipe

Negroni this, Negroni that. The fervour surrounding this classic three-ingredient cocktail seems to know no limits. But we’re not here to talk about the Negroni today. We’re here to shine a light on its lesser-known but equally delicious (some might say more-so) sibling: the Boulevardier.

Devised in 1920s Paris by American socialite and publisher Erskine Gwynne, this dapper drink gets its name from Erskine’s short-lived literary magazine Boulevardier. Advertised as something to be read “before, between and after cocktails”, it should come as no surprise that Erskine was also something of a budding home mixologist in his own right.

Now, if you know how to make a Negroni, you know how to make a Boulevardier. Erskine’s recipe is only a minor tweak on the OG, but what a world of difference it makes. Supplementing Negroni’s hero spirit (gin) for something a little more American, he landed on something both sides of the Atlantic could appreciate.

We’re talking, of course, about bourbon. Doing away with those very British herbal gin notes in favour of a smokier, oakier spirit, the Boulevardier is a darker brood than its older sibling. Campari and sweet vermouth stay on, retaining that bittersweet flavour and citrus aroma, while an orange twist or cherry garnish gives it a pinch of Prohibition-Era class.

Is it better than a Negroni? That’s not up to us to say. So grab a rocks glass, the biggest block of ice you can find, and stir one up for yourself!

Ask any bartender what the trick to a good Boulevardier (or Negroni) is, and they’ll all tell you the same thing: the secret’s in the stirring. With just three simple ingredients to play with, a good Boulevardier might seem impossible to screw up, but overlook the importance of a long stir at your peril.

The best bartenders reckon you should stir for as long as you can make small talk about the weather and current affairs before things get awkward, but two minutes is a good rule of thumb. The idea is to thoroughly combine each ingredient, diluting the mix with the slowly melting ice as you go. This should take the edge off this bitterness and leave you with a perfectly balanced Boulevardier.