A Boulevardier cocktail is a Negroni crafted with bourbon instead of gin. Follow our easy recipe and craft a Boulevardier at home in just five minutes.
Bourbon cocktails speak to us lately. Perhaps it's the nasty state of world events or the dreary, grey time of year. Maybe we just really like the taste of barrel-aged bourbon.
Our latest bourbon cocktail favorite is the Boulevardier, a drink made with just four ingredients plus ice. Fitting into our lazy mixology sweet spot, this drink is easy to craft in just a few minutes without any exotic ingredients or special bar tools.
In simple terms, a Boulevardier cocktail is a Negroni crafted with whiskey instead of gin. In reality, this classic cocktail is so much more.
A grown up Negroni. That was Daryl's initial and somewhat ironic reaction when he sipped his first Boulevardier cocktail. After all, there's nothing immature about Italy's Negroni. Maybe he should call it a Negroni with a doctorate degree.
But, yet somehow, replacing gin with bourbon makes the Boulevardier more sophisticated than its herbaceous cocktail cousin from across the pond. Bourbon flavors like vanilla and caramel combine with Campari's fruity bitterness to create a drink that's both complex and highly sippable.
Despite its similarities to the Negroni, the Boulevardier has a history that didn't start in either Italy or the United States. Instead, the bourbon cocktail has roots in Paris, specifically at Harry's Bar (no relation to the famous Venetian bar of the same name), during the roaring 1920s.
Cocktail lore has it that bartender/owner Harry MacElhone collaborated with customer Erskine Gwynne to create the Boulevardier. And the name? Gwynne published a magazine called Boulevardier at that time, a moniker that served a double purpose until the magazine ceased publication in 1932.
Meanwhile, the classic cocktail version is suddenly and slowly approaching its centennial birthday. As bourbon fans like us continue to discover the Boulevardier, it's not going away any time soon.
With just four ingredients plus ice, the Boulevardier ingredient list is both short and sweet. As a bonus, these five items are all staples in most home bars around the world.
Visit 2foodtrippers for the full step-by-step Boulevardier recipe including process photos and pro tips.
Join our email list and receive our free guide to eating like a local when you travel.