With temperatures dropping I find myself thinking about bold cocktails with rich, earthy, herbal flavors. I like bitters and enjoy a good liqueur paired with whiskey. An old standby is the Boulevardier, a whiskey spin on the Negroni; bourbon, sweet vermouth and Campari. It’s a classic, but I’ve been down that boulevard so many times that it’s lost its charm.
Recently I’ve been exploring other Italian liqueurs beyond Campari. There are two in particular that I’ve been playing with. The first is Fernet Branca and the second, is Amaro Meletti. Fernet Branca is a tough customer and definately an acquired taste. While some drink it neat as a digestif, I find it too medicinal on its own. It is very bitter and very herbal. Amaro Meletti on the other hand, is also bitter in nature, but it has a slightly sweet taste and flavors that remind you of Coca Cola. It’s very tasty on its own over ice.
So, in my quest for great cocktails I thought to myself what if we started with the structure of a Boulevardier, switching out the vermouth with Amaro Meletti and the Campari with Fernet Branca? It turns out the answer is… delicious! I call my new creation the Boulevardier of Broken Dreams.
The cocktail is wonderfully well balanced and delightfully complex in flavor. The Fernet and the Meletti are a perfect pairing. Unlike the Campari in a traditional Boulvardier, which dominates over the vermouth, these liqueurs come together blending their herbal characteristics to form a perfect union. I used rye whiskey as the backbone, as the spicy notes in the rye compliment the herbal flavors. Lastly, I finished off the drink with an orange peel which pairs perfectly with the Amaro Meletti.
So if you’re in the mood for something new and you’re tired of walking down the same old boulevard(ier)… give the Boulevardier of Broken Dreams a try!
Boulevardier of Broken Dreams:
- In a mixing glass with ice, add 1 oz of Dickel Rye, 3/4 oz of Fernet Branca, 3/4 oz of Amaro Meletti. Stir until cold.
- Pour ingredients into a lowball cocktail glass with a large ice cube.
- Garnish with an orange peel.
Pyrate Bar 