One might imagine that the Paper Plane, considering the drink’s ubiquity among bartenders and at cocktail bars, were a storied classic. However, it was only invented in 2008. The inventor: Sam Ross, an award-winning bartender and the co-owner of Attaboy and Diamond Reef in New York City.

The Paper Plane is a modern variation on the Last Word, a classic, equal-parts drink composed of gin, lime, maraschino liqueur and green Chartreuse. At first glance, the bourbon-spiked Paper Plane might not seem too similar. But it follows the same template and consists of equal parts bourbon, Amaro Nonino, Aperol and lemon juice. Both drinks strike a beautiful balance between bitter, sour and herbal notes.

Although Ross typically holds court in NYC, he created the cocktail for the opening menu of The Violet Hour in Chicago. He was inspired by M.I.A.’s smash hit “Paper Plane,” which was popular at the time, and he even garnished the drink with a little paper plane. Guests enjoyed the cocktail, so Ross brought it with him when he went back to New York. He served it at Milk & Honey, and the cocktail’s following proliferated from there.

Référence : https://www.liquor.com/recipes/the-paper-plane/