Boulevardier Cocktail

Difford’s Guide
Discerning Drinkers (651 ratings)

Serve in an Old-fashioned glass

Ingredients:
1 12 oz Bourbon whiskey
34 oz Strucchi Rosso Vermouth
34 oz Strucchi Red Bitter (Campari-style liqueur)
× 1 1 serving
Read about cocktail measures and measuring

How to make:

  1. Select and pre-chill an Old-fashioned glass.
  2. Prepare garnish of orange zest twist.
  3. STIR all ingredients with ice.
  4. STRAIN into ice-filled glass (preferably over a large cube or chunk of block ice).
  5. EXPRESS orange zest twist over the cocktail and use as garnish.

Allergens:

Recipe contains the following allergens:

Strength & taste guide:

No alcohol
Medium
Boozy
Strength 8/10
Sweet
Medium
Dry/sour
Sweet to sour 7/10

Review:

Basically, a Negroni with bourbon replacing gin. The original 1927 recipe calls for equal parts, but I've previously favoured a 3:2:2 (45ml bourbon, 30ml rosso vermouth, 30ml red bitter liqueur) recipe. Popular demand (see comments) has led me to adopt a 2:1:1 recipe, as I concede it's better balanced.

View readers' comments

History:

The Boulevardier first appears in Harry MacElhone's's 1927 Barflies and Cocktails. Not among the book's A-Z listing of recipes, but in a chapter titled "Cocktails Round Town", written by Arthur Moss, the "Around the Town" columnist of the New York Herald, Paris. Named and modelled after his newspaper column, Moss recounts cocktails created by or for other Harry's Bar regulars.

Moss was one of a group of wealthy American ex-pats and self-titled Boulevardiers, in reference to their crawling the boulevards between Harry's and other leading Parisian night haunts. Moss, along with two other writers and socialites from the group, Erskine Gwynne and Jeff Kiley, co-founded a magazine they called Boulevardier.

Moss had previously co-founded two other literary magazines, The Quill (1917) and Gargoyle (1921), the latter of which didn't survive a second year. However, The Quill, which focused on the artistic community in New York's Greenwich Village, had proved successful, particularly for Moss, as he married one of its editors, Florence Gilliam. The two moved to Paris in 1921.

The Boulevardier, published in Paris from 1927 to 1932, was modelled after The New Yorker and featured an impressive roster of contributors, including the likes of Noël Coward, Sinclair Lewis and Ernest Hemingway.

Among the cocktails Moss included in Harry's book was the Boulevardier, created by Erskine Gwynne, a nephew of railroad tycoon Alfred Vanderbilt. Crucially, Gwynne was, of course, one of the other cofounders of the Boulevardier magazine, which coincidently launched the same year Harry's book was published. Hence the cocktail's apt name.

Now is the time for all good Barflies to come to the aid of the party, since Erskinne Gwynne crashed in with his Boulevardier Cocktail: 1/3 Campari, 1/3 Italian vermouth, 1/3 Bourbon whisky.

Arthur Moss, Barflies and Cocktails, 1927


See: Negroni cocktail history and how the Boulevardier fits in

Nutrition:

One serving of Boulevardier Cocktail contains 200 calories

Alcohol content:

  • 1.7 standard drinks
  • 25.79% alc./vol. (25.79° proof)
  • 23.2 grams of pure alcohol

Difford’s Guide remains free-to-use thanks to the support of the brands in green above. Values stated for alcohol and calorie content, and number of drinks an ingredient makes should be considered approximate.

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Showing 10 of 30 comments for Boulevardier Cocktail.
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19th January at 15:55
Used a cocoa butter-washed Michter’s with Cynar , coffee-infused Barolo Chinatto plus 10ml Dark Creme de Cacoa . Basically a riff on The Dark Boulevard which is a riff on the Boulevardier . It’s really rather nice and balanced
D F’s Avatar D F
24th August 2024 at 06:44
The versatility of this excellent drink is another strength. Learning we were out of Campari when making this now, and being reassured by the internet that other amaro can substitute, I'm happy to report that Amaro del Capo (Vecchio) makes a fine Boulevardier. With Buffalo Trace, and Fot Li vermouth (a nice Spanish vermouth).
Kevin Haynes’ Avatar Kevin Haynes
14th May 2024 at 22:45
I tried with the 2:1:1 and liked it better than at equal parts or 3:2:2 and can recommend it.

I do prefer a 1:1:1 Negroni over this for Campari use, and I prefer a Manhattan over this for bourbon + vermouth use, but will still make these occasionally as variety is the spice of life.

I wonder if doing a Chocolate Negroni with bourbon instead of gin would make the bourbon + campari combo truly shine? We shall find out later this week!
John CARR’s Avatar John CARR
29th April 2024 at 00:26
Is there a typo in the variants list: “a the right hand”?
Simon Difford’s Avatar Simon Difford
29th April 2024 at 06:08
Thanks for letting me know, John. Now fixed.
Grant Lednor’s Avatar Grant Lednor
2nd April 2024 at 10:27
I made this with the 2:1:1 and also tried the original equal parts. In the 2:1:1 I have to say Eugene has hit the nail on the head as the bourbon does indeed define the drink. In all honesty I found it to be a nicely balanced bourbon forward drink where the vermouth and the red bitter liqueur act more like exotic bitters than as negroni ingredients. For me I prefer the original equal parts but there's no denying the balance in the 2:1:1 is sublime.
G. M. Genovese’s Avatar G. M. Genovese
28th March 2024 at 16:50
I usually prefer this with bonded rye. But Wild Turkey 101 and Carpano Classico is a fantastic combo.
Natalie Campbell’s Avatar Natalie Campbell
5th March 2024 at 17:44
Just made this with 2:1:1 Buffalo Trace Bourbon, Martini, and Campari. Luxardo cherry to garnish, because I felt like it. Served in a cut crystal Old Fashioned tub.
Eugene Bkln’s Avatar Eugene Bkln
12th January 2024 at 18:06
My favorite riff on Negroni. Choosing the bourbon wisely provides lots of flexibility, its flavor will define the drink. While I love spicy ones I'd choose a bit more gentle for this one, paired with Carpano Antica Formula. Or go with spicy or even rye + martini and rossi.
Richard Christmas’ Avatar Richard Christmas
1st November 2023 at 19:47
I cannot imagine why I only gave this 4½ stars. Bulleit, Cocchi and Campari, with the addition of 10 ml. Cherry Brandy (Bold London Spirit and Dutch syrup at a ratio of 3:1) and a few drops of Orange Bitters, all go down a real treat at this time of the year, especially in a Nick & Nora.
13th October 2023 at 17:17
Maker's Mark, Campari, Martini. Wow, that's quite a flavour kick compared to a Negroni.