Boulevardier

The Boulevardier is a Negroni built around whisky instead of gin, created in 1920s Paris and named after a magazine, the Boulevardier, edited by the American socialite Erskine Gwynne. Equal parts bourbon, Campari and sweet vermouth give it the same bitter-sweet backbone as a Negroni, with the whisky adding warmth, oak and a little vanilla that gin cannot supply.

Bourbon or rye

Bourbon makes a rounder, sweeter Boulevardier, since its natural vanilla and caramel notes soften the bitterness of the Campari. Rye whisky pulls the drink in the other direction, drier and more peppery, closer in spirit to the gin original. Neither is more correct than the other; it depends on whether you want the drink to lean sweet or dry.

Stir it properly

This is a spirit-only drink with no juice to hide behind, so the stirring matters. Thirty seconds with plenty of ice is enough to chill it fully and bring the dilution to a point where the three ingredients settle into balance rather than fighting each other. A single large ice cube in the serving glass then keeps it cold without diluting it further as you drink.

Variations

• Swap the sweet vermouth for equal parts sweet and dry for a drier, more herbal Boulevardier.
• Use half Campari and half Aperol for a softer, less bitter version that suits an earlier hour.
• Smoked or peated whisky in place of bourbon adds a completely different, more autumnal character.