Place a coupe or Nick & Nora glass in the freezer for a few minutes or fill it with ice water while you prepare the cocktail to ensure it is well chilled.

Measure ingredients

Using a jigger, measure 1 oz Wild Turkey 101 rye, 1 oz Aperol, 1 oz sweet vermouth, and 3 tsp (approximately 1/2 oz) fresh lemon juice into a cocktail shaker.

Add ice and shake

Fill the shaker with about 1 cup of fresh ice. Secure the lid and shake vigorously for 10–15 seconds until the outside of the shaker becomes very cold and the mixture is well chilled and slightly diluted.

Prepare serving glass

Discard any ice water from the chilled glass. If you prefer, add a small amount of fresh ice to the serving glass (Paper Plane is traditionally served up — no ice — but an option is provided).

Strain

Using a Hawthorne or fine strainer, double-strain the shaken cocktail into the chilled coupe or Nick & Nora glass to remove any small ice shards and citrus pulp for a clean finish.

Garnish

Express a lemon twist over the drink by holding a strip of lemon peel over the cocktail and pinching to release oils, then rub the rim with the peel and drop it into the drink. Alternatively, garnish with a cocktail cherry if preferred.

Serve

Serve immediately while cold. Enjoy the balanced bitter-sweet interplay of rye, Aperol, vermouth, and a touch of citrus.

Tools

Use the cocktail shaker to combine and chill ingredients, the jigger to measure accurately, and the strainer to keep the pour clean. Use a peeler or small knife to cut a lemon twist for garnish.