Cocktail Atlas

Boulevardier

Bourbon or rye with Campari and sweet red vermouth, stirred and served up. A Negroni build with whiskey in place of gin.

Cocktail Atlas · Updated

Spirit
Bourbon
Glass
Cocktail glass
Method
Stirred
Difficulty
Intermediate

Spec source: IBA official cocktail list

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Boulevardier

Ingredients

Ingredients for Boulevardier. Tick each one as you add it.
AddedMeasureIngredient
1½ oz
1 oz
1 oz

Steps

  1. Pour the whiskey, Campari and vermouth into a mixing glass with ice cubes.
  2. Stir well.
  3. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with orange zest.

Garnish Orange zest (or lemon zest)

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Batch it For a party of 4–20

Makes 8 drinks, about 33½ oz · 1010 ml before ice.

Boulevardier batch
AmountIngredient
12 oz · 360 mlBourbon or rye whiskey
8 oz · 240 mlCampari
8 oz · 240 mlSweet red vermouth
5½ oz · 170 mlCold water, for dilution (approx.)

The water stands in for the melt from stirring: about 20% for a stirred drink. It is an approximation, so taste and adjust. Chill the batch at least 2 hours and pour over fresh ice.

Use a 2 liter pitcher, or split it between two 1 liter bottles.

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Why it works

The Boulevardier keeps the Negroni’s bitter-sweet structure but uses more whiskey, so the base comes through. Bourbon’s vanilla and caramel round off Campari’s bitterness, and sweet vermouth adds body and a wine-like sweetness. Stirring keeps it silky and clear, and serving it up concentrates the aroma. The orange zest brightens a rich, warming drink.

Substitutions

  • Rye makes it spicier and drier; bourbon makes it rounder.
  • Equal parts (1 oz each) gives a more bitter, Negroni-like balance.
  • Serve it on the rocks in an old fashioned glass if preferred.

Variations

Questions

What is the difference between a Boulevardier and a Negroni?
The base spirit. A Negroni uses gin; a Boulevardier uses bourbon or rye, usually in a slightly larger measure.
Bourbon or rye?
Both are in the IBA spec. Bourbon is rounder and sweeter; rye is spicier.
Up or on the rocks?
The IBA spec is up in a chilled cocktail glass. On a large ice cube works well too.

Making it: Boulevardier

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