The Paper Plane Cocktail: A Perfectly Balanced Four-Part Shake
The Paper Plane is a modern classic cocktail built on four equal parts: bourbon, Aperol, Amaro Nonino, and fresh lemon juice. It takes about 5 minutes to shake and strain into a chilled coupe. This recipe makes one drink with a bittersweet citrus finish.
- Basebourbon
- StrengthApproximately 25% ABV
- Methodshake
- Glasscoupe
- Difficultyeasy
- Total3 min
- Serves1
- Bittersweet
- Citrusy
- Herbal
- Jigger or measuring spoons
- Cocktail shaker
- Strainer
- Fine strainer
The Paper Plane is the cocktail that converts people who think they don't like bittersweet drinks. It's a study in symmetry: four ingredients, each exactly 22.5 milliliters. The bourbon gives it warmth, the Aperol brings orange bitterness, Amaro Nonino adds herbal depth and sweetness, and fresh lemon cuts through all of it. This recipe is the definitive version, the one that put the drink on bar menus everywhere. You don't need any fancy technique. The hardest part is deciding if you should make a second one. You will.
About the Paper Plane
The Paper Plane was created by bartender Sam Ross at New York's Milk & Honey in the late 2000s. It's a variation on the Last Word, swapping gin for bourbon and maraschino liqueur and lime for Aperol and lemon. The drink's name is a nod to the M.I.A. song of the same name. Its equal-part structure makes it both easy to remember and endlessly riffable. While it's a relatively young cocktail, it has become a staple in bars worldwide, celebrated for its remarkable balance and approachable bitterness.
Why it works
- 1The equal four-part ratio creates a perfectly balanced drink where no single ingredient dominates.
- 2Shaking with ice provides the necessary dilution, softening the bourbon's heat and melding the flavors together.
- 3Fresh lemon juice is non-negotiable; its bright acidity is the counterpoint to the sweet, bitter amari.
- 4Double straining removes any ice shards or pulp, giving the drink a silky, clean texture.
Ingredients
Serves 1.
22.5 ml BourbonThe base spirit, providing warmth and structure.
22.5 ml AperolAdds a bright, orange-forward bitterness and a lower alcohol content than other amari.
- 22.5 ml Amaro Nonino Quintessentia
The key to the drink's herbal, raisiny sweetness. It's softer and less bitter than many other amari.
22.5 ml Fresh lemon juiceProvides the essential bright, tart balance.
Ice- Lemon twist, for garnish
Expresses citrus oils over the drink, adding a final aromatic lift.
ingredients
The amari are the most important part. Amaro Nonino is the classic choice; its soft, cola-like, raisiny character is what makes this drink work. You can use another amaro, but the balance will shift. For the bourbon, a standard 100-proof bottling like Wild Turkey 101 or a smooth 90-proof like Buffalo Trace works perfectly; its robust flavor stands up to the amari. Use a fresh, unwaxed lemon for the juice and the twist.
You need: jigger or measuring spoons, cocktail shaker, strainer, fine strainer.
Method
Chill the coupe
Fill your coupe glass with ice and set it aside. This is a small step with a big payoff; a frosty glass keeps the drink cold and undiluted from the moment it hits the glass.
Look for: A thin layer of condensation forming on the outside of the glass.
Common mistake: Skipping this step. A warm glass will quickly melt the ice and water down your cocktail.
Pour the bourbon, Aperol, Amaro Nonino, and fresh lemon juice into your cocktail shaker. You're building the drink's structure here, and with equal parts, precision matters more than order.
Look for: Four distinct liquids of amber, orange, brown, and pale yellow swirling together in the base of the shaker.
Common mistake: Using bottled lemon juice. It tastes flat and metallic and will ruin the bright top notes of the drink.
Fill the shaker with cracked ice and shake vigorously for 12-15 seconds. You're not just mixing; you're aerating and diluting the drink, which softens the alcoholic bite and brings all the flavors together. The drink should feel properly cold by the time you finish.
Look for: The outside of the shaker becomes frosted with condensation and a thin layer of ice crystals.
Common mistake: Under-shaking. A lukewarm, sharp-tasting drink means you haven't given the ice enough time to melt and integrate the flavors.
Discard the ice from your coupe. Hold the fine strainer over the coupe and pour the drink through the cocktail strainer into it. This two-step process catches the ice shards and any bits of lemon pulp, leaving you with a silky, clean drink.
Look for: A clear, deep amber-orange liquid filling the glass, with no ice chips or pulp clouding it.
Common mistake: Skipping the fine strainer. Ice shards will end up in the drink, diluting it faster than you can drink it and ruining the smooth texture.
Pinch a swath of lemon peel between your thumb and forefinger over the drink, skin-side down. Give it a twist to express the oils onto the surface, then rub the peel around the rim and drop it in. This aromatic finish is the cherry on top.
Look for: A fine mist of citrus oil glistening on the surface of the drink, and a bright, coiled ribbon of lemon peel floating on top.
Common mistake: Using a dry or pith-heavy piece of peel. It won't express oils well and can add an unwanted bitterness.
Tips from the bar
- 1Measure with a jigger, not your heart. The equal-part ratio is the drink's entire structure; deviating by even a few milliliters throws it off.
- 2Use large, hard ice cubes in your shaker if you can. They melt slower than cracked ice, so you can shake longer without over-diluting.
- 3For a slightly larger, more generous cocktail, scale all ingredients up to 30ml (1 ounce) each. It's a more common spec and fills the coupe better.
- 4Chill your coupe in the freezer for 15 minutes ahead of time instead of filling it with ice if you want a perfectly undiluted start.
- 5Smell the lemon twist before you garnish. If it doesn't smell intensely citrusy, it won't do the drink any favors.
Variations
- Mezcal Paper Plane: Swap the bourbon for a smoky mezcal. The smokiness pairs beautifully with the amari and adds a whole new dimension.
- Rye Paper Plane: Use a spicy rye whiskey instead of bourbon for a drier, pepperier edge.
- Campari Swap: If you don't have Amaro Nonino, you can use Campari, but the drink will become significantly more bitter and less balanced. Add a tiny bar spoon of simple syrup to round it out.
Substitutions
- Amaro Nonino: This is the hardest to substitute. A sweet amaro like Ramazzotti or Montenegro is your best bet, but the result will be slightly different.
- Aperol: Campari can be used, but it's much more bitter. Cut it to 15ml and top up with soda or simple syrup.
- Bourbon: Any good-quality whiskey will work, but the character will shift. Rye is the closest cousin.
Serving, storing, batching
Serve this as an aperitif before a meal. It's light and bitter enough to wake up the palate, but the bourbon gives it enough body to stand on its own. It pairs beautifully with a charcuterie board.
This is not a drink you can batch and store. The fresh lemon juice will lose its vibrancy within a few hours. Always make it fresh.
To batch for a party, combine all the ingredients (minus the ice) in a pitcher in the same 1:1 ratio. When you're ready to serve, shake each portion individually with ice. Do not pre-dilute the whole batch; it will become watery.
Questions people ask
It's moderately strong. With three 22.5ml pours of spirit and liqueur, it comes in at around 25% ABV before dilution. The flavors are well-balanced, so the alcohol doesn't hit you up front, but it's not a light sipper either.
They're completely different styles. An Old Fashioned is spirit-forward, built in the glass with bitters, sugar, and a twist, stirred over a large cube. The Paper Plane is shaken and balanced, with equal parts bourbon, Aperol, Amaro Nonino, and lemon.
The Paper Plane is made with equal parts of four ingredients: bourbon, Aperol, Amaro Nonino Quintessentia, and fresh lemon juice. It's a simple, symmetrical spec that's easy to remember.
Amaro Nonino is quite unique, but a good substitute is another sweet, herbaceous amaro like Ramazzotti or Montenegro. The drink will be slightly different, but these will provide the closest balance of sweetness and herbal complexity.
Combine 22.5ml each of bourbon, Aperol, Amaro Nonino, and fresh lemon juice in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake hard for 12-15 seconds, then double-strain into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish with a lemon twist.
The cocktail is named after the M.I.A. song 'Paper Planes.' The creator, Sam Ross, was listening to the song when he came up with the drink, and the name stuck.
You can, but it will be a different drink. Try using Campari at about 15ml and add a teaspoon of simple syrup to compensate for the extra bitterness.
A high-proof bourbon like Wild Turkey 101 is ideal because its bold flavor can stand up to the amari. A smooth, classic bourbon like Buffalo Trace also works very well.
It must be shaken. The drink contains fresh citrus juice, which needs to be vigorously aerated and chilled to integrate with the spirits. Stirring would leave it tasting sharp and disjointed.
You can pre-mix the spirits and amari, but never add the lemon juice until you're ready to shake and serve. The lemon juice will oxidize and lose its brightness. For each serving, measure out 90ml of the batch, add 22.5ml lemon juice, and shake.
Last word
The Paper Plane is a modern classic for a reason. It's a four-ingredient drink that's easy to remember, quick to make, and impressively balanced. Give it a try the next time you want a cocktail that's both familiar and a little bit different.
