About the Paper Plane cocktail
The Paper Plane is a modern classic cocktail made with equal parts bourbon, Amaro Nonino, Aperol, and lemon juice. It is bright, bittersweet, citrusy, and balanced, with bourbon giving the drink structure, Amaro Nonino adding herbal depth, Aperol bringing orange sweetness and bitterness, and lemon juice keeping everything sharp and refreshing.
Created in 2008, the Paper Plane was described as a riff on the Last Word, even though the two cocktails do not share the same ingredients. What connects them is the structure: equal parts spirit, herbal liqueur, sweet-bitter or fruity liqueur, and citrus. That simple formula makes the Paper Plane feel both modern and classic, with a playful balance of whiskey warmth, amaro complexity, Aperol brightness, and sour citrus.
