Some of the most classic cocktails in the bartending book also happen to be the strongest ones. ( ) Alton Brown's favorite cocktail is one of those that's mostly composed of liquor and it favors bitter flavors over sweet ones: the Boulevardier. The Boulevardier is a simple blend of three ingredients, 2 ounces of rye or bourbon, 1 ounce of Campari, and 1 ounce of sweet vermouth; either served on the rocks or up, in a stemmed glass.
can't be bottled at less than 80 proof (40% ABV, or alcohol by volume). Because of this base spirit, a Boulevardier is already going to be strong. Campari is 24% ABV and vermouth is bottled at the minimum of 15% ABV.
So overall, this drink isn't exactly what you'd call shy. The Campari is the source of the bitterness, as it's a type of, well, bitter. It's bright red and filled with citrus and herbal notes, though the ingredients used to flavor it are still a closely guarded secret.
But it does give the cocktail a distinct color and flavor and the sweet vermouth rounds out each sip. As cocktails go, it's an old one, having been first documented in a recipe book called "Barflies and Cocktails," published in 1927. And its birthplace is credited to a bar in Paris, Harry's New York Bar, owned by an American expatriate named Harry McElhone.
The Boulevardier is closely related to another classic cocktail If you've , it's a very similar recipe, except it uses gin rather than whiskey. Its ratios are different, however, with one ounce of gin, Campari, and swe.
