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Ready to shake up a modern classic? Join mixologist Pam Wiznitzer as she demonstrates how to craft the iconic Paper Plane cocktail, a balanced equal-parts drink created by Sam Ross in 2008! Learn to master its core ingredients: fresh lemon juice, Aperol, Amaro Nonino, and bourbon, discovering the unique interplay of its two amari.

Pam reveals insider tips for the perfect shake, proper dilution, and the art of expressing lemon oils for that ideal aromatic finish. This episode is packed with expert advice to transform your home bar and have you crafting this celebrated cocktail like a pro!

For more expert cocktail hacks, like show-stopping, custom ice cubes that become an edible garnish, and the easiest way to create a tea infusion, watch the full episode on the Forbes Life channel:

Join mixologist Pam Wiznitzer, a true "Bar Wiz" with a Master's Degree in Spirits, as she guides you through the intricacies of the Paper Plane Cocktail, a modern classic from 2008! Pam masterfully takes this iconic drink to new heights with three incredible variations—the classic Paper Plane, a vibrant Rooibos Tea and Strawberry-infused rendition, and a surprisingly sophisticated, stirred version. And since it's no fun to drink alone, founder and CEO of Uncle Nearest Whiskey and New York Times bestselling author Fawn Weaver drops by the bar to give them a try!

Discover groundbreaking insider secrets like fruit-infused amaro, tea-infused bourbon, and the innovative concept of a pre-chilled, flavor-releasing ice cube for a completely reinvented, stirred Paper Plane.

Watch the full episode here:
https://youtu.be/4JDOzVg5CvE

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Transcript
00:00There seems to be a cocktail for every year.
00:03The Dirty Shirley, the Espresso Martini, the Hugo Spritz,
00:07and some say now the Paper Plain, a modern classic from 2008.
00:12It was created by Sam Ross when he was tasked to make a cocktail
00:14for an upcoming bar called the Violet Hour in Chicago.
00:17He wanted it to be fashioned off of the last word,
00:19a drink with four equal parts, which led him to bourbon as the base
00:23as bourbon was booming in the market.
00:25Four ingredients in this cocktail, all of equal measure,
00:28which makes this really easy to remember.
00:30As always, we're going to start with the least expensive ingredient,
00:33which is going to be lemon juice.
00:37And as always, fresh juice is the best juice.
00:45So we're going to start with three-fourths of an ounce of lemon juice.
00:48Something that's really special about this cocktail is it has not one,
00:52but two different types of Amaro, or you could say Amari.
00:55And you might be thinking to yourself, why two different types?
00:58Well, they're not entirely the same.
01:00Aperol over here is what's known as an Amaro or an Apertivo Amaro,
01:04which means that it's more fruity.
01:06It has a little bit more sweetness.
01:07You get things like strawberry, rhubarb, and the proof level isn't too high.
01:11And to balance that, we have a more bitter Amaro on the other side,
01:14Amaro Nonino, which really is why Sam Ross made this drink.
01:17This was a newer product on the market,
01:19and you really want to show how this one,
01:20which has the caramel and oranges, a bit of muskiness in there,
01:23along with the bitterness, really balances out the other type of Amaro in the drink.
01:28We're going to do three-fourths of an ounce of Amaro Nonino.
01:33And we're going to do three-fourths of an ounce of Aperol.
01:39The base spirit for this cocktail is going to be bourbon.
01:41Sure, you could use rye or scotch, but honestly, bourbon is key here.
01:45It really brings the drink together and brings a balance of all the other flavors.
01:48We're going to do three-fourths of an ounce.
01:53The drink is served straight up into a coupe,
01:55which means all of the dilution has to happen in the shaking process.
02:01Fill your shaker with ice.
02:04Seal it.
02:05And this is when you've got to show the big guns.
02:07You've got to give this a really good shake.
02:09The smiley face.
02:27I shake this pretty well,
02:28so I'm actually going to fine-strain this
02:30just to get all the little ice particles.
02:34We're going to strain it up into our coupe.
02:35Gorgeous.
02:38We have that little foam on top,
02:39which is exactly what you want in all of your shaken drinks.
02:42Well, many bars garnish this with a tiny paper plane.
02:45It might be not so easy to make at home.
02:47If you're able to order them online,
02:48go ahead and add that as a bit of flair.
02:50But traditionally, you're going to see many other bars and places
02:53use a bit of a lemon peel and twist.
02:56So remember, let's take our lemon peel, peel side out,
02:59hip side towards you.
03:00Up an inch, back an inch, 45-degree angle, and squeeze.
03:05See that expression of the oils?
03:08Give it a bit of a twist.
03:10If you like to use a toothpick, you can.
03:12But you can just have that balance off the side,
03:14and we're ready to take flight.
03:18I love this cocktail.
03:19Let's have this.
03:25It is so fascinating that equal parts in a drink
03:28can be so incredibly balanced.
03:30With the bitterness of the Amaro and the Sprite Citrus
03:32and those barrel notes that come from the bourbon,
03:34it just all works so perfectly together.
03:37Not too sweet.
03:37Not too sour.
03:38Not too bitter.
03:39And it's scary because this is going to go down fast.
03:42So maybe there's a reason this is the cocktail of 2025.
03:45Do you agree?
03:47Comment below and let us know what you think.
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