Boulevardier

The Boulevardier is a three-ingredient classic that applies the Negroni’s equal-parts formula to whiskey. Instead of gin, the base spirit is bourbon or rye, joined by sweet vermouth and Campari. The result is a cocktail that balances sweetness, bitterness and oak-driven depth in a direct, spirit-forward format. While often grouped with aperitifs because of Campari’s bitter orange profile, the Boulevardier drinks richer and weightier than its gin-based counterpart.

The cocktail is widely attributed to Erskine Gwynne, an American expatriate in Paris who published a magazine called The Boulevardier in the 1920s. It appeared in Harry McElhone’s 1927 bar guide Barflies and Cocktails, cementing its place in the early canon of modern mixed drinks. Like many classics of that era, it relies on precise proportions rather than elaborate technique. Equal parts create structural symmetry, but small adjustments can meaningfully shift the balance.

Bourbon produces a rounder Boulevardier, emphasizing caramel, vanilla and softer oak notes that temper Campari’s bitterness. Rye delivers more spice and dryness, tightening the drink’s profile and sharpening its finish. Sweet vermouth provides herbal complexity and body, linking the whiskey’s weight to Campari’s assertive bitter edge. Proper chilling and dilution through stirring are essential to integrate the components and smooth the alcohol.

Serve up in a coupe or over a large cube in a rocks glass.