Barrel Aged Boulevardier

As I packed my bags for my trip down to New Orleans for the Tales of the Cocktail, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of excitement and anticipation. This was my first time attending this legendary cocktail festival, and I couldn’t wait to immerse myself in the world of mixology and explore the vibrant city of New Orleans.

As I arrived in the city, I was struck by the colorful architecture, the lively music on every street corner, and the tantalizing smells of Cajun cuisine wafting through the air. I checked into my hotel, dropped off my bags, and headed straight to the festival to begin my adventure.

At the Tales of the Cocktail, I attended seminars, tastings, and parties, meeting fellow cocktail enthusiasts from all over the world. I learned about the history of classic cocktails like the Sazerac and the Hurricane, and discovered new twists on old favorites.

One such twist was the barrel aged banana boulevardier, a riff on the classic Negroni variation that combines bourbon, Campari, and sweet vermouth. The idea behind this cocktail is to infuse the vermouth with the essence of banana, using the peel to impart a subtle sweetness and depth of flavor. The result is a rich and complex drink that balances the bitter and sweet elements of the original recipe.

As I sipped on my barrel aged banana boulevardier, I couldn’t help but think about the history of this classic cocktail. Legend has it that the drink was created in the 1920s by a Parisian bartender named Harry MacElhone, who was inspired by the American Boulevardier magazine. The drink quickly became popular in the bars of Paris and was eventually brought over to the United States.

Now, almost a century later, the boulevardier remains a beloved classic, with bartenders around the world putting their own spin on the recipe. And as I enjoyed my own unique riff on this timeless drink, I felt grateful to be a part of the rich and vibrant world of mixology, where creativity and tradition collide to create something truly special.