The Boulevardier
Boulevardier – A sophisticated, worldly, and socially active man; a man who frequents fashionable places; a man-about-town.
Are you in the mood for a cocktail? A Negroni, perhaps? Ah, what say you? You have had too many Negronis of late? What, they are just everywhere, too trendy? Oh, but you still want one, or maybe some thing with an even bigger punch. Running with the big dogs, are you? Well, then try a Boulevardier. Mais oui, ma certo, a Boulevardier – like a Negroni but lose the gin (I’ve said that before) and replace it with (get ready) bourbon. Yes, bourbon. The bourbon lends the drink a voluptuous smoothness that was a complete surprise to me. You simply have to try it. I am thinking this is not a cocktail for every woman, but it is surely a cocktail for every man.
Boulevardier
1 oz. bourbon
1 oz. Campari
1 oz. sweet vermouth
Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass 3/4 full of ice. Stir well, at least 30 seconds, to combine and chill. Strain into a cocktail glass. Serve at once.
Garnish: orange slice, lemon twist or cherry* (for the ladies)
And I have said it before, but do try Cocchi Vermouth. To celebrate its 120th anniversary last year The House of Cocchi re-introduced their wonderful vermouth. Buy a bottle and imbibe. Here in LA I found it at K&L Wines and Mission Liquor. It may not replace your treasured Carpano or beloved Punt e Mes, but it is a prize, most certainly. And if you are not going to use it quickly, vermouth is best stored in the refrigerator. Believe it.
*One detail – if you opt for a cherry, please use nothing other than the real deal – Luxardo Maraschino cherries. These are not the neon darlings that adorned the Shirley Temples of old. These are real Marasca cherries, a variety of sour cherry, dark, almost black, preserved in a heavy syrup of Maraschino liqueur. Details count.
Note: You can click on any picture for a larger image, and to see a slide show with even more pictures!
I have no affiliation with any product, manufacturer, or site mentioned in this article.
Friday, April 27th 2012 at 9:19 pm |
This cocktail is too good to be true
Friday, April 27th 2012 at 9:54 pm |
Ciao Anthony,
Well, believe it. This one rocks. I used Maker’s Mark, and it burnished the sharp edges of the Campari. The entire drink blends beautifully. This one really is a mindblower. Give it a try. I’d love to hear what you think. And thanks for stopping by.
Thursday, May 3rd 2012 at 7:11 pm |
This drink looks so beautiful in the pictures. I will try it this weekend!
Friday, May 4th 2012 at 6:48 am |
Cioa Sorella mia!
You will love it. I used Maker’s Mark bourbon, and I loved it. For me, the maraschino cherry (only the real deal, please – from Luxardo) was the perfect touch, adding a bit of sweetness, but I can certainly see that for hard core bourbon drinkers the lemon twist or orange slice would be perfect, as the citrus would round out and complement the Campari. I await the photo!
Wednesday, May 29th 2013 at 8:15 am |
Since my drinks of choice are either a Bourbon Manhattan or a Campari Spritz, I had to try this since it encompassed so many favorites. I drank it on the rocks (slows down the guzzling factor)…and then I had another – it’s now officially in my cocktail repetoire. Thanks for sharing!
Thursday, May 30th 2013 at 8:51 am |
Hi Laney,
I am so pleased to hear that you liked this one. It surely does “down easy,” as they say, The ice is a great idea. Thanks for stopping by!
Saturday, November 23rd 2013 at 7:24 pm |
Coincidentally, I had a Negroni tonight before dinner. Wish I had come across this beforehand. Sounds like it would have really hit the spot.
Saturday, November 23rd 2013 at 9:00 pm |
Hi Frank,
Smooth is the word. There is always tomorrow… cheers!