The Best Bourbon For A Juicy, Bright Paper Plane Cocktail

The paper plane is something of a modern classic in the world of cocktails. Created in 2008 by cocktail renaissance man Sam Ross (who's also responsible for creating the now-iconic Penicillin cocktail), the drink consists of only four ingredients. By combining bourbon, Aperol, Amaro Nonino (an herbal digestif/amaro) and lemon juice, you get a cocktail that has a truly eye-popping color as well as an idyllic balance of the drink's herbal, bitter, and sweet components. The fact that the paper plane has an equal-parts formula for these ingredients — a holdover from its "last word" inspiration — makes it all the more convenient to make and easy to remember. As a result, the paper plane has found a place in the repertoire of any bartender worth their salt.

Here's the hitch when it comes to simple cocktails such as the paper plane: every little detail matters. Since there are only four ingredients, and they're all measured out equally, any changes can have a great influence on your final product. Ross found this when he used Aperol to replace his initial choice of Campari. With this in mind, your choice of bourbon is paramount when making this drink. So, which bourbon should you choose? Ideally, something that won't get lost in the flavors of your other ingredients — an assertive, strong-tasting bourbon is a good bet. But things are never that simple, so here are some tips for choosing the perfect bourbon for your paper plane.

Bourbon is a distinctive spirit that sets itself apart from other whiskeys. For a whiskey as highly-regulated as bourbon is, there's still a surprising amount of variation that goes on between distilleries and even between bottles. If you were to look at what bourbon is actually made from, you'll see that there's a fair amount of room for throwing in different grains that'll give that whiskey certain characteristics. And it's these characteristics that will show when you make a cocktail such as a paper plane.

The paper plane is a good showcase for whichever bourbon you choose, so you want something that won't shy away from the spotlight. Ross himself suggests a bourbon at a proof point slightly higher than average, around the 43-46% mark. A good barometer would be Buffalo Trace –- supposedly the bourbon used by Ross when he created the cocktail –- which is bottled at 45% ABV and has nice spice notes before fading to an anisette-like back. In fact, many "bottom shelf" bourbons that can punch well above their weight, including Wild Turkey 101 and Elijah Craig small batch. And if you want a bit more spice in your bourbon, opt for a bottle with a higher percentage of rye in its mash bill, like Old Grand-Dad bottled-in-bond, 1792 small batch, or Bulleit barrel-strength. But ultimately, your own tastes and bourbon preferences play the largest role in finding the perfect match for your paper plane.

What about those who aren't so enthusiastic about bourbon? Rules are meant to be broken, right? If you end up taking a liking to the spicy notes inherent in rye grains, then you could sub out your bourbon for a 100% rye whiskey, amping those flavors up to 11. If you want to move away from whiskey entirely, that's completely possible! One Reddit comment suggests using a rhum agricole (rum made from fresh sugarcane instead of molasses) in place of bourbon, sending the paper plane in a new but enticing direction. Other rums might also work, but you'd be wise to not choose a rum that's too sweet since your other ingredients are deceptively sugary.

If you really want to mix things up, why stop at the bourbon portion? The last-word-esque formula allows for seamless experimentation in your drinks. Just ask Joaquin Simo, creator of the Naked and Famous cocktail that replaces bourbon with mezcal, lemon juice with lime juice, and Amaro Nonino with yellow Chartreuse. While it might seem like a huge deviation, it's essentially just a middle ground between a paper plane and a last word. You could consider using other amaros or digestifs instead of Amaro Nonino, such as the imminently herbal Amaro Montenegro or even green Chartreuse if you want to return to the cocktail's roots. With so many mix-and-match options available, your taste buds are sure to take flight with whatever version of the paper plane you land on.