Classic cocktail · Guided recipe

Boulevardier

A Negroni that swapped gin for bourbon — warmer, richer and just as bitter-sweet. Campari and sweet vermouth do the rest.

Preparation~2 minSuper easyStrengthStrongabout 31% ABVMethodStirred6 guided stepsIngredients3Short (rocks) glass

Spirit-forward

In the glassBourbon · Campari · Sweet vermouth

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Make it with guidanceOne clear action at a time, with timers built in.

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What goes in

Ingredients

An empty clear rocks glass with low straight sides and a heavy base. — Serving glassRocks glass

Set up before you pour

Use a rocks glass.

The low, sturdy bowl suits concentrated drinks and gives one large cube enough width.

Standard size: 300 ml10¼ oz
Ice & serve: Add one large, solid ice block.
If you don’t own one: Use a small water tumbler with a heavy base.

Tools to set out

jigger or measuring spoon

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Scale to your short (rocks) glassWe’ll remember this glass size.

Bourbon45 ml
Campari30 ml
Sweet vermouth30 ml

Start making

From bottle to glass

Method

01
Ice the glass
Fill the glass with ice
02
Measure and pour
Pour 45 ml bourbon
- Bourbon
03
Measure and pour
Add 30 ml campari
- Campari
04
Measure and pour
Add 30 ml sweet vermouth
- Sweet vermouth
05
Stir around the ice
Stir gently to combine
06
Finish the drink
Finish it — add an orange twist

Know your drink

About the Boulevardier

An Old Fashioned, Whiskey Sour and sparkling whiskey highball in a warm library bar.

Printed in Paris, 1927

Erskine Gwynne was an American expatriate in Paris who ran a monthly magazine called The Boulevardier. Harry MacElhone's Barflies and Cocktails carried the drink under that name in 1927, in equal thirds: Campari, Italian vermouth, bourbon whiskey. The credit line in the book goes to Gwynne himself, which by the standards of cocktail provenance counts as unusually solid ground.

Equal thirds is not how most bars pour it now. Campari is bitter out of all proportion to its strength, and it will bury an 80-proof bourbon inside a minute. A common modern build runs an ounce and a half of whiskey against three quarters each of Campari and vermouth. Better still, pour something at 100 proof. Old Grand-Dad Bonded and Wild Turkey 101 cost very little and stay audible under the bitter.

Common questions

Boulevardier FAQ

Is a Boulevardier just a Negroni with bourbon?

Same skeleton, different posture. Whiskey brings vanilla and grain sweetness that gin doesn’t, so most bartenders bump it to 45 ml against 30 ml each of Campari and vermouth — equal parts reads flat with bourbon. Rye makes it drier and spicier.

What ingredients are in a Boulevardier?

A classic Boulevardier calls for 45 ml (1.5 oz) Bourbon, 30 ml (1 oz) Campari, 30 ml (1 oz) Sweet vermouth. That single-serve spec scales cleanly — the recipe above converts it to oz and multiplies it for 2–4 drinks.

How strong is a Boulevardier?

A standard Boulevardier is roughly 31% ABV once mixed (before ice melt softens it further). That makes it spirit-forward — closer to a Martini than to a beer, so sip it slowly.

Is a Boulevardier shaken or stirred?

A Boulevardier is stirred, not shaken. It contains no citrus juice, so stirring keeps it crystal clear and silky instead of cloudy and aerated.

What glass do you serve a Boulevardier in?

Serve a Boulevardier in a rocks glass (old fashioned glass), over fresh ice cubes.

How many calories are in a Boulevardier?

One Boulevardier has approximately 230 calories, estimated from the standard spec above. Bigger pours, extra syrup or sweetened mixers raise that number quickly.

Sharpen the technique