Because of its wonderful balance of sour, herbal, and bitter notes, it's very easy to like the paper plane cocktail. Its herbal depth is kept bright and refreshing with the addition of fresh lime juice. The paper plane is one of my go-to cocktails to order.

I was just on a plane the other day, flying back home from a visit to Turks and Caicos. It was sooo hard to board and leave those white sand beaches behind. But I came back with so many wonderful new memories that my heart will stay warm, even when I'm not anymore. Making this paper plane cocktail has me wondering where the next airplane will bring me.

A paper plane cocktail in a coupe glass, garnished with a mini paper plane, with lights twinkling in the background. — Paper Plane

History of the cocktail

The Paper Plane was created in 2007, New York, by Sam Ross. This Australian bartender, known for his creation of The Penicillin cocktail, was a long time bartender at Milk & Honey. However, he created the Paper Plane for The Violet Hour bar in Chicago. A new take on the pre-Prohibition drink, The Last Word, he named the drink after the song of the same name by British rapper M.I.A..

(To see an amazing cocktail from Milk & Honey, London, check out the East 8 Hold Up. It's seriously delicious.)

How to make a Paper Plane Cocktail

Making this cocktail is super easy, and easy to remember too. Use ¾ shot of each of the ingredients: bourbon whiskey, amaro (Nonino or Montenegro), Aperol, and fresh lime juice.

Simply measure each of the ingredients into your cocktail shaker. Shake it with ice vigorously for about twenty seconds. Pour through a fine strainer into a chilled glass, in order to remove any large pieces of ice. Serve and enjoy immediately. The traditional glass used for the paper plane cocktail is a coupe glass - a stemmed glass, shallow and broad-bowled.

Serve in this:

coupe glass

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Originally the coupe glass was intended for champagne, but it's perfect for serving a drink "up" or "straight up" (shaken or stirred with ice, then strained into a stemmed glass without ice).