Black Pepper Boulevardier
Made this one? Leave a rating below.
A spirit forward bourbon Boulevardier with Campari and sweet vermouth, finished with a fresh crack of black pepper. The saline solution rounds out the bitterness while the pepper adds a subtle warm bite on the nose and the finish.
This cocktail is part of our Date Nite collection, made to be sipped while you cook together.
Build Your Drink
INGREDIENT LIST
1 1/2 oz bourbon
3/4 oz Campari
3/4 oz sweet vermouth
1 dash orange bitters
2 drops saline solution, optional
Garnish: 2 to 3 grinds fresh black pepper
COCKTAIL METHOD
Combine the bourbon, Campari, sweet vermouth, bitters, and saline in a mixing glass with ice.
Stir for 25 to 30 seconds until well chilled.
Strain over a large ice cube in a rocks glass.
Express an orange peel over the glass and use it as the garnish.
Finish with 2 to 3 grinds of fresh black pepper right before serving.
Notes from the Bar
Heads up: We may earn a small commission on products we’ve linked here. We only recommend the real-deal favorites from our kitchen.
BOURBON MATTERS
A bourbon with some rye spice in the mix, like Bulleit or Buffalo Trace, plays especially well with the black pepper here. Something too sweet or corn forward will get lost against the Campari.
WHY SALINE
We use an 80/20 ratio of water to salt by weight, so for a small batch that is 40 grams water to 10 grams salt, stirred until fully dissolved. A couple drops sharpens the other flavors without adding noticeable saltiness, and it is a bartender trick worth keeping on hand. → Shop our favorite dropper bottles
PEPPER TIMING
Grind the pepper directly over the glass right before serving, not during stirring. It loses its punch fast once it hits the liquid, so this is a finishing touch, not an ingredient.
GLASSWARE OPTIONS
We love this in a classic rocks glass over one large cube, but a coupe works too if you want it up instead of on the rocks. → Shop our favorite double rocks glasses
Because every drink deserves a beautiful moment.
A ritual we return to
Our cocktails are part of something bigger for us. They’re the beginning of Date Nite, a connection-centered experience we created to help you slow down, share a meal, and enjoy time with the one you love.
Each Date Nite is thoughtfully planned for you, so you are not stuck deciding what to cook or how to pull the night together. We pair one cocktail with a complete menu, a simple flow from prep to plate, and small details that make the evening feel easy and connected from start to finish.
It is not about perfection. It is about presence, and creating space to reconnect, whether that is with your partner or simply with yourself, over a really good meal.
Start with one free Date Nite menu
We created this for you — and the one you love.
Kevin & Kate
Stories worth Savoring
Our latest blog posts for inspiration, reflections, and recipes.
