Boulevardon
Stir, strain, serve up... garnish with cherry or olive
I prefer this with a couple drops of Bittercube Cherry Bark Vanilla Bitters
A far less bitter interpretation of the classic Boulevardier. The bourbon/averna combination brings out more roasted and biscoty notes--especially when using the New Holland Beer Barrel Bourbon. A sweeter, warmer version of its bitter cousin
- Added Cherry Bitters -- might really shine more with vanilla bitters. MC thought the Averna flavors were a little "thick"
- Pre Dinner
- Liberal (Averna) — Bourbon, Sweet vermouth, Averna, Orange bitters
- Earthbound Cocktail — Rye, Averna, Sweet vermouth, Ginger liqueur, Amaro Sibilla, Bitters
- Sabotta Dusk — Rye, Cognac, Sweet vermouth, Averna, Bitters
- Beatnik — Rye, Averna, Madeira, Bitters, Orange peel
- The Kerouac — Rye, Tawny port, Amaro Nonino
What to do when you don't have the suggested bourbon? That was my predicament with the Boulevardon, so I used an ol' standby, Elijah Craig. The outcome was a drink that was too sweet for my tastebuds, which surprised me because I tend to like drinks on the sweet side. But this drink was too sweet, and the bourbon was w-a-y in the background. I rated the drink at 3.0.
So, I made two changes, one of which was significant. Using the same proportions, I used Averna, Dolin blanc vermouth (the major change), and Jim Beam Black (98 proof). The result? Great. Not too sweet and the bourbon was right where it belonged (front and center), without overpowering the other ingredients. I rated this libation at 4.0!
The lesson learned? In this case, switch from a sweet vermouth to a blanc or blanco vermouth and use a high proof bourbon. Doing so should give you a satisfying libation.
