bourbonCamparivermouth

bourbonCamparivermouth is a descriptive label for cocktails that combine bourbon with Campari and vermouth. The most famous example in this family is the Boulevardier, a bitter-sweet, spirit-forward drink created in the 1920s in Paris and popularized as a bourbon-based variation of the Negroni.

A standard preparation uses three core ingredients: bourbon, Campari, and sweet vermouth. A common ratio is 1.5 ounces bourbon, 1 ounce Campari, and 1 ounce sweet vermouth, stirred with ice and strained into a rocks glass over fresh ice. It is typically garnished with an orange twist. Some bartenders and home mixers favor serving it up in a chilled coupe instead of on the rocks.

Variations and substitutes can alter the profile. Substituting rye whiskey for bourbon changes the spice note; using dry or bianco vermouth instead of sweet vermouth yields a drier finish; swapping Campari for Aperol or adjusting the vermouth ratio can produce a lighter or more bitter drink. Some recipes experiment with different orange garnishes or additional bitters to tailor the balance.

History and nomenclature: the label bourbonCamparivermouth is a descriptive term rather than an official drink name. The Boulevardier is the archetype most closely associated with this trio of ingredients, with origin stories dating to the 1920s Paris scene, often linked to Erskine Gwynne and his magazine The Boulevardier.

See also: Boulevardier, Negroni, Old Pal.