What does a Paper Plane taste like?
A Paper Plane tastes bittersweet, citrusy and smooth: equal parts bourbon, Aperol, Amaro Nonino and lemon, so it is orangey and tangy with a gentle bitter edge.
Paper Plane
bittersweet bourbon sour
The Paper Plane is a modern classic created by bartender Sam Ross: equal parts bourbon, Aperol, Amaro Nonino and fresh lemon, shaken and served up. Amaro Nonino is an Italian bittersweet liqueur with caramel and orange-peel flavors. Together it tastes like a whiskey sour that took a trip to Italy: tangy lemon first, then bittersweet orange from the Aperol, then the bourbon's caramel and vanilla warmth underneath. It's bitter enough to be interesting but gentle enough for people who don't love Negronis.
Where you’ll see it
On craft cocktail menus, served up in a coupe, sometimes with a tiny paper plane clipped to the glass. Bars that can't get Nonino sometimes swap in another amaro.
Order it if you like a whiskey sour and want something more bittersweet and orangey.
Quick questions
- Is a Paper Plane bitter?
- A little. Aperol and Amaro Nonino are both gently bitter, but the lemon and bourbon keep it balanced and easy to drink.
- What is Amaro Nonino?
- An Italian amaro, a bittersweet herbal liqueur, made with a grape spirit and aged in barrels. It tastes like orange peel and caramel with a soft bitter edge.