Alton Brown's Favorite Cocktail Is A Mix Of Some Seriously Strong Liquors

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 sweet vermouth equally in the mix, which still makes this one fairly strong. A Negroni is almost always garnished with a signature orange peel, which gives it a bright aroma as you sip it.

Though the Negroni is arguably the better-known drink between it and the Boulevardier, the Boulevardier actually preceded it in terms of history. The gin makes the Negroni a bit of a brighter drink, because of all those botanical notes (I prefer this one in the summer), whereas the Boulevardier reminds me more of something you might drink by a fireplace due to the warming whiskey. That could just be me romanticizing the two, though.

One thing's for sure, you won't want to rush to drink them both due to their strength and their bitter qualities. Recommended.