Lost Plane
Shake ∙ 3 min ∙ 14.8% ABV ∙
The Lost Plane is an equal-parts shaken sour of dark rum, an Aperol-style aperitivo, amaro, and fresh lemon, a rum-based riff on the Paper Plane. Bracing and bittersweet, it hits with tart citrus snap before mellowing into a bittersweet, faintly herbal finish, silky in texture and quietly warming underneath.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Shake all ingredients with ice: Dark rum 20 mlAperitivo 20 mlAmaro 20 mlLemon juice 20 ml
- Fine strain into the chilled glass
- Express a lemon twist over the cocktail and use as garnish
Tips
- Express the lemon twist directly over the drink before dropping it in; the oils add aroma the shaken juice alone doesn't provide.
- Pre-chill the coupe while shaking so the fine-strained pour doesn't lose its chill sitting in a warm glass.
- Shake hard and briefly with plenty of ice, then fine-strain to keep the equal-parts mix clear of pulp and ice shards.
History
The Lost Plane was created by Emily Gosling of Gosling Brothers, the Bermuda-based rum company behind Goslings Black Seal, as a dark rum riff on the Paper Plane. It follows the same equal-parts format but replaces the parent's bourbon with dark rum, giving the drink a heavier, richer body.
The Paper Plane itself was created in 2008 by Sam Ross and Sasha Petraske as a favor for their former colleague Toby Maloney, who wanted a new summer cocktail for his Chicago bar, The Violet Hour. Ross conceived it as a riff on the Last Word, swapping in bourbon, amaro, and Aperol (originally Campari) for that drink's gin-based build, and named it after the M.I.A. song "Paper Planes."
FAQ
What's in a Paper Plane alcoholic drink?
A Paper Plane is traditionally equal parts bourbon, Aperol, Amaro Nonino, and fresh lemon juice, shaken and served up. The Lost Plane is a variation on that formula: it swaps the bourbon for dark rum, keeping the same equal-parts structure of aperitivo, amaro, and lemon juice.
What can I use instead of Amaro Nonino in a Paper Plane?
Any amaro of similar weight works as a substitute, such as Montenegro, which is softer and more citrus-forward than Nonino's stone-fruit profile. This recipe itself uses a Montenegro-style amaro alongside dark rum, Aperol-style aperitivo, and lemon juice.
How do you make a Lost Plane?
Shake dark rum, an Aperol-style aperitivo, amaro, and fresh lemon juice with ice, then fine-strain into a pre-chilled coupe. Finish by expressing a lemon twist over the drink and dropping it in as garnish.
