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Paper Plane
Bittersweet with underlying bourbon character and lemon zestiness
12th October 2025 at 14:32
I just wanted to say a massive 'brilliant, at last, well done ! ' to Diffords for expanding the comments section. It makes such a difference, I think you'll find people spend a lot more time on the site with access to all the recent chats like that. Great job.
I also wanted to say you can't really have one favourite drink, but if I was put on the spot I think it would have to be this. Just superb. I've tried all sorts of variations but keep coming back to the original. Pure class.
I also wanted to say you can't really have one favourite drink, but if I was put on the spot I think it would have to be this. Just superb. I've tried all sorts of variations but keep coming back to the original. Pure class.
5th January at 06:54
This cocktail is definitely my go to - for all cocktail enthusiasts and purists, as well as anyone new to the art and craft of cocktail culture. It’s not too boozy, not too sweet, not too bitter, and not too acidic, and yet somehow all of those four flavors are present when you sip it. Every palate wins with this cocktail.
12th October 2025 at 17:29
Many thanks for your kind words and support. We’ve more. Improvements on the way.
20th September 2025 at 11:14
Love a Paper Plane as-is, but felt obliged to try my own Mr. Potato Head variation. Because this one goes dark, I’m calling it a Stealth Bomber:
0.75oz Wild Turkey 101 (50.5% - I think I would bump to 1oz if using regular strength bourbon)
0.75oz Zucca
0.75oz Montenegro
0.75oz lemon juice
Express a grapefruit swath over the top and discard.
0.75oz Wild Turkey 101 (50.5% - I think I would bump to 1oz if using regular strength bourbon)
0.75oz Zucca
0.75oz Montenegro
0.75oz lemon juice
Express a grapefruit swath over the top and discard.
19th September 2025 at 12:29
I appreciate how you can savor each ingredient in this cocktail; it’s enjoyable! 🍸
24th August 2025 at 16:25
Starting to work my way through the ‘proper’ classics at the moment, having a break from creating new stuff or making ‘bar’ classics for friends. This might have just shot straight to the top of my list. We prefer sour cocktails rather than anything sweet or creamy, if you also do and haven’t made one of these, go for it . It genuinely made me smile and take a deep stress relieving breath in as I drank it. This one is good for your mind, body and soul. Thank you.
30th July 2025 at 02:40
As a gin lover, I really enjoy a Broken Plane:
0.75 oz Hendrick’s Gin
0.75 oz Drillaud Elderflower Liqueur
0.75 oz Amaro Nonino Quintessentia
0.75 oz fresh Lemon juice
Shake hard, double strain, serve up
0.75 oz Hendrick’s Gin
0.75 oz Drillaud Elderflower Liqueur
0.75 oz Amaro Nonino Quintessentia
0.75 oz fresh Lemon juice
Shake hard, double strain, serve up
5th January at 06:57
I like the name, I’ll give this one a try for sure! Do you know provenance of this drink or is it your own?
30th July 2025 at 06:46
Thanks, Kenny. I'll add to Difford's Guide ASAP.
13th April 2025 at 05:37
A great riff on the Paper Plane if you want something jucier to quench your thirst on a hot day
Cardboard Plane
1 oz. bourbon (regular Four Roses is great, i especially love it with 1792)
0.75 oz. Cointreau
0.5 oz. Amaro Meletti
0.75 oz. lemon juice
0.5 oz. grapefruit juice
Add all ingredients to a tin and shake hard on ice. Double strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice and garnish with a grapefruit peel. (I prefer it with 2 drops of 4:1 saline)
From the Lions Share in San Diego California
Cardboard Plane
1 oz. bourbon (regular Four Roses is great, i especially love it with 1792)
0.75 oz. Cointreau
0.5 oz. Amaro Meletti
0.75 oz. lemon juice
0.5 oz. grapefruit juice
Add all ingredients to a tin and shake hard on ice. Double strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice and garnish with a grapefruit peel. (I prefer it with 2 drops of 4:1 saline)
From the Lions Share in San Diego California
16th April 2025 at 22:03
Dang it! I just used up my Meletti!
4th April 2025 at 21:55
Another Mr. Potato Head variation: Amrut Fusion, lemon, Bigallet China-China, and Ramazzotti. It came out both darker and dryer, but also a bit more complex, and with very light smoke on the swallow. I have yet to apply thus formula in a way that wasn't at the very least pleasant and drinkable.
24th March 2025 at 12:00
Would it be a travesty to sub Averna for the Nonino ?
5th January at 07:03
Never a travesty, it’s just a riff. Credit to Sam Ross for the original, I find that it’s a great pleaser for all palates. Enough booze, citrus, bitter and sweet to make everyone I serve it to happy. Riffs like this are what keeps the industry exciting, but the blend of flavors don’t always have the same appeal. I will give this cocktail a try with the Averna sub.
27th June 2025 at 00:16
To be honest when I first try it I hadn't nonino available and used Averna. I loved it. Then I try it with nonino and it was so - so . For me it totally needs to tone down the lemon by at least 5ml if one use Nonino.
28th February 2025 at 01:02
50/50 mix of Wild Turkey 101 & 81 bourbon works really well for this; good balance of sweet, sour, & bitter, with the richness of the bourbon and amaro lying underneath. Makes you want to keep going back for another sip.
21st February 2025 at 14:27
Made the cocktail at a gathering I loved it but everyone else absolutely hated it, maybe one for a niche crowd.
16th February 2025 at 22:55
The cocktail is perfect 'as is'. I've made variations using Barolo Chinato as a substitute for the Amaro Nonion, and using Yuzu juice and Chinola (b/c I don't know chit from Chinola haha) as a lemon juice substitute. Both are very very good.
17th January 2025 at 02:13
Today's version wentva bit off script: it was made with High West Campfire (a mix of bourbon, rye, and peated Scotch); Aperitivo Nonino; Aachener Domliqueur (a spiced liqueur from Germany) in lieu of Amaro Nonino; and of course lemon juice. This came out great - tart, spiced, with complexity from the Aperitivo, and just a hint of smoke on the swallow.
24th December 2024 at 20:09
I’ve had a fantastic variation dubbed a Pearoplane, adding in some pear purée. The result is obviously much sweeter, but the herbal and bitter notes still come through in an old fashioned pear drop candy flavour
4th December 2024 at 19:29
I occasionally replace bourbon with a quality amber rum and some have called it a Paper Boat. Looking up Paper Boat there seem to be several variations.
5th December 2024 at 10:59
I've heard of others doing the same and will add this version to Difford's Guide. I've also seen a Paper Boat made into a long drink, but that seems too much of a stretch from the Paper Plane.
4th December 2024 at 03:48
Bourbon, Campari, Aperol, and lemon juice make a fine Paper Plane! Some folks on the west coast are replacing the lemon with lime, calling it Ruby Sippers.
16th November 2024 at 20:04
Substituted Nonino with Montenegro and used half bourbon half rye. Nice drink, like a herbal whiskey sour.
4th November 2024 at 00:13
Made this tonight with Amaro Nonino which I purchased today just to make this and used Aperol as suggested. I found it a bit tart so next time will try with 1/2 oz. lemon (or maybe 3/4 oz. Myer lemon?) and report back.
20th July 2024 at 21:59
I found that 2oz of rye works very well in place of the 3/4 bourbon
24th June 2024 at 21:20
Another iteration here, as I switched Aperol for Aperitivo Nonino. This decreases the bitterness slightly, but adds more layers of flavor as I find Aperitivo Nonino more complex than Aperol. This version benefits from a less assertive bourbon, though, to let the Aperitivo come through. I went with Wild Turkey Longbranch today.
19th June 2024 at 02:00
Ran short of lemon so added a couple of not-very-ripe strawberries for acidity. Flavour worked perfectly with the Aperol and bourbon! Serendipity!
28th May 2024 at 03:14
I ran out of Aperol, and because substituting Campari makes it quite tart I added a dash of Benedictine. Wow, that made it better than the original. It brings in the sweetness while also adding even more herbal intrigue than the Nonino alone.
5th January at 07:10
Without the Benedictine this would be close to the Paper Airplane, as historically this drink was first interpreted by Toby Maloney at the Violet Hour. From how I read the history, it didn’t catch on quite as well as the original, but flavor preferences, especially as it relates to bitter experiences, are very personal.
18th June 2024 at 13:56
Interesting! I love paper plane (and most last word variations I’ve tried).
5th May 2024 at 13:07
Sort of a Boulevardier Sour. So ultimately, perhaps, another noble offspring of that fecund king, the Negroni. Whatever, we love it late at night, cuddled up watching a movie.
20th May 2024 at 17:24
We go half and half Campari and Aperol. This lets the Nonino shine.
2nd April 2024 at 13:02
Quite dry and tart so I adapted it to the following with great results:
• 1 1/4 oz (37.5 mL) Four roses bourbon
• 1 oz (30 mL) Montenegro amaro
• 1 oz (30 mL) Aperol
• 2/3 oz (20 mL) Lemon juice
• 3 drops of 20% saline solution
• 1 1/4 oz (37.5 mL) Four roses bourbon
• 1 oz (30 mL) Montenegro amaro
• 1 oz (30 mL) Aperol
• 2/3 oz (20 mL) Lemon juice
• 3 drops of 20% saline solution
7th March 2024 at 23:02
Just tried this with Rabarbaro in place of the nonino. Pleasantly warm and spicy, like a crisp autumn day.
31st October 2024 at 23:00
I tried this sub. Quite nice.
25th February 2024 at 13:12
Tried this several times, getting a high proof base spirit made the difference- went with Rittenhouse rye this evening. Outstanding and five stars well deserved.
24th February 2024 at 21:51
A bit drier than I would prefer. Backed off the lemon juice, just a bit and added a dash of maple syrup. Perfect!
16th February 2025 at 22:58
Are you Canadian?
18th June 2024 at 14:03
Yes you really have to balance the sweet/sour here. Likewise with a last word. I add half the suggested amount to the shaker, taste, then progressively add more to get optimal balance.
5th January 2024 at 21:47
Love seeing how everyone has tried this with different amari. Instead I switched out the aperitivo - didn’t have Aperol (which I’m not all that fond of, too sweet) so I used our local aperitivo from the Old Poison Distillery right here in Leith. The result is excellent, if not as pretty to look at as the original. But arguably much more interesting!
30th December 2023 at 09:34
Made a mezcal version, like a division bell but not.. Paper Bell maybe? Whatever it's called, it's a nice one! Three favourite drinks just a substitute or two apart from one another. Last word riffs rule.
18th May 2024 at 10:43
Avión de Papel (más o menos - it’s better with mezcal).
5th December 2023 at 05:15
Macfarlane's Reserve KT Bourbon | Am Noni | Aperol | Super Lemon Juice _____________ built with -33% Super lemon juice than spec. too acidic for me. could be a testimony against super lemon juice, possibly? or, this kinda flat dimensionless bourbon i picked up? not sure.
It's just crazy how good this easy drink is.
Next time I'll try subbing Amer Picon for Amaro Nonino, just because.