Mixing with Ross Andrewartha: The Paper Plane cocktail

G’day! Welcome back to another round of “which exciting content creator did we cocktail collab with this time?” Well, folks, we’ve got a banger for you, with none other than beauty expert, professional makeup artist and (most importantly) new dad, the talented and extremely on fleek (are they still saying that?), Ross Andrewartha. Ross and yours truly collaborated on one of our fave cocktails yet, a slight twist on the classic Paper Plane cocktail. 

But first, a little bit about our new fave pal. Up until 2021, Ross was the creative vision for YSL Beauté and Giorgio Armani in Australia, while leading the National Artistry team across the two brands. Talent much? Today, he shares his profesh beauty and fab lifestyle advice with his 36.5K followers on Instagram, along with snippets of his new life as a dad with partner Jack. To get to know him better, we asked Ross some outlandish (and landish) questions about himself, being a pa and (of course) cocktails. 

Starting with our fave question: If you were a cocktail, what would you be and why? “Vodka Martini with a twist is always a great way to get the party started and so am I,” says Ross. A perfect answer, if you ask us. 

So, what else do we know about our new bestie, Ross? Well, he grew up in the UK (we won’t hold that against him) and since moving to Australia, his cocktail palate has changed. “I was into sweeter cocktails back then and now I have a taste for bitter flavours. I’m still trying to persuade my mum and sister that a Negroni is the best!” Don't worry, they’ll come around. 

But perhaps the most important thing about Ross is his new position as dad. “We share this beautiful girl and we pinch ourselves that we finally did it. It’s something that we have both wanted for such a long time and we finally have our dream crew.” Super cute! 

Now, back to our collab cocktail. In light of Ross’ changed palate, the Paper Plane is a bittersweet, whiskey-forward and zesty cocktail that was created by a Melbourne local – Sam Ross – and is now known globally. Legend has it, Sam named the Paper Plane after MIA’s bop Paper Planes after it was blasted on repeat while ideating it. The more you know. 

If you’re salivating for a Paper Plane cocktail, have a squiz at Ross’ tips below for how to make the perfect Paper Plane at home.

Got a hankering for a Paper Plane cocktail, huh? We’ve got all the tips and tricks from Ross, so you can make your Paper Plane the best one ever. 

First, a quick note on amaro. There are many different types of this bittersweet herbal liqueur, and the original Paper Plane recipe uses Amaro Nonino. However, Ross uses Amaro Averna as he prefers a slightly more bitter flavour.  If you’re not into bitter flavours as much as Ross, revert back to the original recipe or try an even more approachable amaro – Montenegro is a great pick, too. Experiment with different amaros to see what works for you.

As for Ross’ top tip for making this at home, it is no surprise it comes down to style. “I think with this cocktail it's super fun, so get creative with the glasses you serve it in – or if you have the time make a cute little paper plane to add to the rim of the glass as it would be a great conversation starter!”

So, what solids should we be serving alongside this masterpiece? “This is a cocktail served with canapés. Welcoming everyone into your home with this refreshing cocktail –  it looks so pretty and makes you look like you have gone to loads of effort.” Genius.

And, just in case you were wondering what your make-up should look like while sipping this perf cocktail: “This gives me neutral, soft, rosy tone vibes, and thinking skin realism/glass skin with dewy, subtle, pink hues.”