🍸 The Paper Plane: A Cocktail That Soars Beyond Expectations ✈️

Introduction 🍹

The Paper Plane is the kind of cocktail that makes you wonder if someone bottled optimism and added a lemon twist. This modern classic, born in the late 2000s, is a harmonious blend of bitter, sweet, and citrusy flavors that'll make your taste buds do a happy little jig. It's like a vacation in a glass—minus the sunscreen smell.

A Brief Flight Through History 🕰️

This cocktail was born in 2007 at the Violet Hour in Chicago, crafted by bartender Sam Ross (who also gave us the Penicillin cocktail– clearly, this man has a gift for naming drinks after things that shouldn't be cocktails but somehow work brilliantly).

The Paper Plane was reportedly named after the M.I.A. song "Paper Planes" that was popular at the time. The cocktail exemplifies the elegant simplicity of equal-parts recipes, following in the footsteps of other classics like the Last Word and Negroni. Its rapid rise to prominence in the cocktail world demonstrates how a well-balanced, thoughtfully constructed drink can quickly become timeless, despite its relatively recent inception.

---

Ingredients & Recipe: Building Your Edible Aircraft 📋

Ingredient	Measurement
Bourbon	¾ oz (22ml)
Aperol	¾ oz (22ml)
Amaro Nonino Quintessia	¾ oz (22ml)
Fresh lemon juice	¾ oz (22ml)
Ice	As needed

Instructions:

1. Shake it: Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice,shake vigorously for 12-15 seconds(or until your arm complains)
2. Strain: Double-strain into your chilled coupe glass.
3. Garnish: Garnish with a lemon twist or a tiny paper airplane, if you're stylish.

Pro Tip: If your Paper Plane crashes, you probably forgot the lemon. Or you're drinking it too slowly.

Decoding the Classic Charm of the Paper Plane 🛫

1. The "Goldilocks" Balance
   Bourbon brings warmth, Aperol adds bitter-orange zing, Amaro Nonino throws in herbal complexity, and lemon juice ties it all together. It's not too sweet, not too bitter—it's just right.

2. The "I Can Make This!" Factor
   No obscure or hard-to-find ingredients, no complicated techniques—you could make this with your eyes closed and still achieve a Michelin three-star flavor.

3. Nostalgia with a Side of Swagger
   The name evokes childhood paper airplanes, but the drink is all grown-up. It's like wearing a tuxedo to a playground—unexpectedly cool.

4. The Escape Button in Liquid Form
   One sip and you're transported to a dimly lit bar where the ice is always perfectly cracked, and the playlist is flawless.

Fun Facts to Impress Your Friends 🤓

• Name Game: The cocktail was named after M.I.A.'s "Paper Planes," a song that was a favorite of Ross during the drink's creation.
• IBA Recognition: In 2020, the Paper Plane was added to the International Bartenders Association's list of official cocktails, cementing its status as a modern classic.
• T-Shirt Fame: NYC's Attaboy bar sold Paper Plane tees in 2019—sold out in a week.
• The Conversation Starter: Order a Paper Plane at a bar, and you'll either get a knowing nod from a fellow cocktail enthusiast or a puzzled look from someone who thinks you're ordering office supplies. Either way, you've got a conversation starter.

Final Boarding Call 🎫

The Paper Plane isn't just a drink; it's a mood. It's what you sip when you want to feel sophisticated but also secretly wish you could fold your problems into a paper plane and toss them out the window. 🪁 Cheers! 🥂