Maybe you love a classic Negroni but also enjoy whiskey. Enter the Boulevardier—a cocktail born in 1920s Paris, beloved today as the Negroni’s darker, warmer cousin.
After years behind the bar, Ted Banick, former owner of Teddy O’Brian’s in Highwood, knows how to balance bold spirits. When the weather turns cool, his go-to cocktail is the Boulevardier. His twist? No. 14 bourbon from Vermont Spirits—an award-winning craft bourbon aged at least five years and finished with rare early-run maple sap. Its balanced sweetness makes it a natural fit for fall and winter.
Smooth but not overly sweet, No. 14 layers notes of honeyed oak, caramel and cherry-vanilla, with a flash of maple on the finish. That subtle maple character softens Campari’s bitterness, creating a silky, well-rounded cocktail for cool nights.
The original recipe called for equal parts whiskey, Campari and sweet vermouth. But like most bartenders, Banick tweaks the proportions. “The bourbon deserves to shine,” he says. “With No. 14, you don’t need as much vermouth—the maple finish already gives it silky sweetness.” His version dials back the vermouth, giving the drink a rounder body while keeping its signature bitter-sweet bite.
No. 14 Boulevardier
Ingredients:
• 2 ounces No. 14 Bourbon
• 1/2 ounce sweet (Italian) vermouth
• 1 ounce Campari
• Large ice cube
• Orange peel
Instructions:
Stir ingredients with ice until well chilled. Strain into rocks glass over one large cube. Garnish with an orange twist, releasing its oils along the rim before dropping it in.