The recipe
for your table
Shake all the ingredients with plenty of ice for 15 seconds.
Double strain into a chilled coupe.
Fold a strip of paper into a miniature paper plane and place it on the rim.
Serve immediately - this cocktail should be ice-cold.
The story
Star bartender Sam Ross - also the creator of the Penicillin - created the Paper Plane in 2007 for the opening of The Violet Hour in Chicago, and named it after M.I.A.'s hit Paper Planes, which was playing everywhere that summer. The recipe plays with the classic Last Word formula: four equal parts, but with Italian bitters and bourbon. Within a few years, it appeared on cocktail menus from Sydney to Amsterdam and is now considered the quintessential successful modern classic.
The right glass
The orange-pink glow of the Paper Plane is shown at its best in a clear coupe of 22 to 24 cl. The stemmed glass keeps the cocktail cold - important, as it is served without ice - and the wide bowl showcases the beautiful colour gradient. A thin-cut rim makes drinking it just as refined as its flavour. Prefer a glass with a smaller bowl? Take a look at our Nick & Nora glasses.
RCR Opera Champagne Glass / Coupe 24 cl (6 pieces)
Nude Glass Savage Champagne Glass / Coupe 22 cl (6 pieces)
Both sets — together € 106,90.
The right tools
For a Paper Plane, in addition to the glass, you need a shaker, a jigger for precise measuring, a fine strainer for double straining, and a citrus juicer. These are the bar tools we use ourselves; you can find them all in our bar tools & cocktail sets.
Glassware set (our choice 01) + 4 bar tools — together € 96,75.
Variations & twists
No Amaro Nonino at home? Montenegro or Meletti come close, each with its own accent. Using mezcal instead of bourbon adds smoke beneath the bittersweet notes. Serve it as an aperitif with an Italian dinner - it whets the appetite like no other. Looking for more inspiration? Browse more than 100 cocktail recipes.
Serving tip
Amaro Nonino is the key: its soft orange-and-herb profile is difficult to replace. Can't find Nonino? Montenegro comes close, but taste and adjust with a drop of syrup.
Measure four equal 2 cl parts
This cocktail consists of four equal 2 cl measures: bourbon, Aperol, Amaro Nonino and fresh lemon juice. Precisely because nothing dominates, accurate measuring is more important here than in any other recipe; an extra half centiliter of Aperol immediately makes the drink too sweet, while an extra half centiliter of lemon makes it too sharp. Use a jigger with a 2 cl side and fill it to the brim. Shaking for fifteen seconds with plenty of ice dilutes the drink by about a quarter, turning the 8 cl from the shaker into around 10 cl in the coupe.
Amaro Nonino and the alternatives
Amaro Nonino Quintessentia is made from grappa and aged in wood, giving it a smooth, orange-forward and lightly caramel-like character; it determines the balance and costs around forty euros per bottle. Amaro Montenegro is the best alternative, slightly more floral and sweeter, so taste and adjust with a few extra drops of lemon. Amaro Meletti adds more vanilla and saffron. Averna and Ramazzotti are noticeably more bitter and darker, causing the cocktail to lose its light character. You can find Nonino in the Netherlands at better liquor stores.
How strong is a Paper Plane
Bourbon is around 45 percent, Amaro Nonino is 35, and Aperol is 11; the lemon juice contributes nothing. Together, you reach about 23 percent in the shaker, and after fifteen seconds of shaking with plenty of ice, about 17 to 18 percent remains in the glass. For a 10 cl cocktail without ice, that is considerable, especially because the bittersweet flavor effectively conceals the strength. Therefore, serve it as a single-glass aperitif rather than a drink for the entire evening.
Folding the paper airplane
The garnish refers to the song Paper Planes by M.I.A., after which creator Sam Ross named the cocktail in 2007. Cut a strip of sturdy paper approximately four by six centimeters, fold it in half lengthwise, fold the two top corners toward the center crease, repeat that step, and fold the wings outward. Clip the airplane onto the rim of the coupe or let it rest on the surface. Do not use ink-heavy paper, as the dye will run as soon as it comes into contact with the cocktail.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Paper Plane cocktail?
The Paper Plane is a modern sour made with four equal parts: 2 cl bourbon, 2 cl Aperol, 2 cl Amaro Nonino, and 2 cl fresh lemon juice, shaken with plenty of ice and double-strained. Star bartender Sam Ross created it in 2007 for The Violet Hour in Chicago.
Why is it called a Paper Plane?
Sam Ross named the cocktail after the song Paper Planes by M.I.A., which could be heard everywhere in the summer of 2007. Tradition dictates placing a small paper airplane on the rim of the glass, although strictly speaking, that garnish is optional.
Is a Paper Plane strong?
It's less potent than it looks: of the eight centiliters of liquid, only 2 cl is bourbon, while Aperol and Amaro Nonino, at approximately 11 and 35 percent, are considerably lighter. After shaking with ice, you end up with roughly 18 percent alcohol in the glass.
Which glass do you use for a Paper Plane?
A 22 to 24 cl coupe. The cocktail is served without ice, so the stemmed glass keeps it cool and the wide bowl displays the orange-pink color gradient. Chill the coupe in advance, double-strain, and serve immediately, because this cocktail should be ice-cold; see our champagne coupe glasses.
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