Orchard Boulevardier Recipe

Like a negroni, but with whiskey instead of gin

An orchard boulevardier in a stemmed glass with an orange twist.

Serious Eats / María del Mar Sacasa

Why It Works

  • Use unfiltered cider for the best flavor.
  • Apple cider adds a sweeter balance to a traditional boulevardier.

Every Saturday during the fall, the farmers' market in my neighborhood becomes an urban orchard, with countless varieties of apples spilling out of rickety crates. Aside from the usual sack of baking and sweet snacking apples, I stop at the hot cider stand. Something about the sharpness of the air and the cutting edge of cold wind turns warm, unfiltered cider into an antidote.

The antidote becomes even more powerful with a splash of liquor. I made five variations spiked with spirits that are probably part of your existing arsenal. Less common bottles, like Bénédictine, will become favorites once you've tried them.

There’s a fruit and spice-studded mulled cider, a maple spin on buttered rum, a vibrant pepper and ginger version, and a riff on the champagne cocktail.

For this cider-soaked orchard boulevardier, I began with warm cider and fortified it with spirits that I'm familiar with and order frequently at bars, like Campari and bourbon.

The original boulevardier cocktail—equal parts whiskey, Campari, and sweet vermouth—is a warming, sophisticated drink, but stir bracing rye and bittersweet Campari into hot apple cider and you've got an extra layer of comfort. This drink recipe serves two, but we wouldn't blame you for going through a few mugs of it while curled up next to a crackling fire.

For the best results, use unfiltered fresh cider—the kind you find at your local orchard or farmers' market, or in the refrigerated case at your grocery store.

November 2013

Recipe Details

Orchard Boulevardier Recipe

Active 5 mins
Total 5 mins
Serves 2 servings

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces apple cider (see note)

  • 4 ounces rye whiskey

  • 2 ounces Campari

  • 2 ounces sweet vermouth

  • Garnish: 2 orange twists

Directions

  1. Bring apple cider to a simmer in a medium saucepan. Add rye, Campari, and vermouth, stir until warm. Divide between 2 heatproof mugs or serving glasses, garnish with orange twist and serve immediately.

Notes

For the best results, use unfiltered fresh cider from your local orchard or farmers' market (or the refrigerated case at your grocery store).

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Nutrition Facts (per serving)
315 Calories
0g Fat
27g Carbs
0g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 2
Amount per serving
Calories 315
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 9mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 27g 10%
Dietary Fiber 1g 2%
Total Sugars 22g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 52mg 259%
Calcium 17mg 1%
Iron 0mg 2%
Potassium 160mg 3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)