Upgrade your Paper Plane Cocktail with a Fortune-Filled Garnish

Need an easy batch cocktail recipe that will get your party started? If you know me, you know I can’t resist adding one extra little detail to a gathering. Not the kind that makes hosting harder—but the kind that sparks conversation, sets the tone, and makes people smile before they’ve even taken their first sip.

These Paper Plane Cocktails with Hidden Fortunes are exactly that.

Yes, the Paper Plane is already a perfectly balanced, modern classic cocktail. But when you garnish it with a tiny folded airplane that holds a cheeky “in-flight fortune”? Suddenly your cocktail is an experience. Guests open them. They share and compare messages. And just like that, the party energy takes off (pun fully intended).

Even better: this is a batch-friendly cocktail, so you can prep everything ahead of time and actually enjoy your own party.

The Story Behind the Paper Plane Cocktail

The Paper Plane cocktail was created in 2008 by acclaimed bartender Sam Ross at the legendary New York bar Milk & Honey. Inspired by the M.I.A. song “Paper Planes” (hence the name), Ross set out to create a modern drink with the balance of a classic Last Word—equal parts, bright citrus, and a bittersweet backbone.

The result? A cocktail that feels sophisticated but totally approachable. It’s become a contemporary staple for good reason: it’s nearly impossible to mess up and universally loved—even by people who “don’t like whiskey.”

Why This Is the Ultimate Party Cocktail

Here’s what makes this version host-friendly:

✔ You can batch it days ahead
✔ The equal-parts formula scales beautifully
✔ The garnish doubles as entertainment
✔ Guests interact instantly (no awkward warm-up period)
✔ It feels special without being fussy

This is my favorite kind of hosting move: high delight, low stress. Regarding glassware, the Paper Plane is often served in a coupe but I happened to have a few dozen tall, thin glasses (see photo above) and the plane fit right across the top, so I used those!

I found the glasses at a thrift store when I was doing a photo shoot for a big party spread. Thrifting can be a fantastic place to find glassware – often leftover from large parties or catering. If they are in good condition, just put them through a hot dishwasher cycle – sanitized and ready for their new home!

Ingredients (And What Each One Brings to the Glass)

I love how this cocktail combines equal parts of each ingredient. It makes is SO easy to batch! Just combine equal portions to create whatever amount you need. No match needed! It’s a perfect example of balance—nothing dominates, and every sip hits bright, smooth, bitter, and refreshing all at once.

Bourbon
Bourbon provides the backbone of the cocktail. Its warm notes of vanilla, caramel, and light oak give the drink structure and a subtle sweetness that keeps the citrus from feeling sharp. We usually use Bulleit Bourbon.

Aperol
Aperol adds a gentle bittersweet orange flavor and that signature sunset color. It brings brightness and a hint of herbal complexity without being too bitter, keeping the cocktail lively and easy to drink. Finally, we are using Aperol for more than a spritz!

Amaro (a light, herbal Italian-style amaro)
This is where the depth comes in. A lighter amaro contributes layered botanical notes—herbs, spice, and a touch of bitterness—that round out the sweetness of the bourbon and Aperol. It gives the cocktail its sophisticated edge and keeps it from tasting one-dimensional.

Fresh Lemon Juice
Fresh lemon juice is the lift. It adds crisp acidity that ties everything together and makes the drink feel refreshing rather than heavy. The citrus also enhances the aromatics of the amaro and brightens the natural sweetness in the bourbon.

The Result:
When combined in equal parts, these four ingredients create a cocktail that is simultaneously citrusy, smooth, lightly bitter, and incredibly balanced—people always come back for seconds! It’s very drinkable.

How to Batch Paper Plane Cocktails for a Party

This cocktail is ideal for batching because the ratios are so straightforward. Each cocktail is approximately 3-4 ounces. For a nice sized drink, just assume about 1 oz of each ingredient.

For ~10 guests (1 drink each): Use 1 cup of each ingredient.

For ~20 guests: Use 2 cups of each ingredient.

For a larger party (30+ drinks): Increase to 3 cups of each ingredient.

Make Ahead Tips:

• You can prepare this up to 2–3 days in advance
• Keep it chilled so it’s ready to pour
• Do not add ice until serving (to avoid dilution)
• Prepare all your paper plane garnishes well in advance and have them in a bowl on the bar

To Serve

1. Shake the batched cocktail with ice.
2. Strain into coupe or rocks glasses.
3. Add your paper airplane garnish.
4. Tip off the guests that a fortune awaits inside the garnish

The Hidden Fortune Garnish

This is the detail that changes everything. Each cocktail gets a tiny folded paper airplane with a message tucked inside—like a fortune cookie, but way more on-theme.

Some favorite “in-flight messages”:

• Keep hands and feet safely to yourself during cocktail hour.
• Estimated departure time: when you stop having fun.
• The runway to fun is just ahead of you.
• You are cleared for spontaneous fun.
• Tonight’s forecast: 100% chance of fun.
• Declare this the best drink ever. Convincingly!
• This flight if fueled by bourbon and laughter.
• Turbulence may occur after round 2.
• Fasten your seatbelt, things are about to get delightful.
• Cabin pressure may increase due to excessive cheer.
• In the event of excessive fun, laugh immediately.
• You are 10 sips away from reaching cruising altitude.
• Please silence all stress for the duration of this flight.
• Oxygen masks are unnecessary. Just sip and breathe. Repeat.
• Buckle up. The night is just getting started.
• You’re in first class. But you don’t have to act like it.

Guests inevitably start trading fortunes, reading them aloud, and suddenly strangers are talking to each other. Mission accomplished.

How to Make the Paper Airplane Garnish

I had to remind myself how to make a nice paper airplane. This video helped! Use small rectangles or squares of lightweight paper. Heavyweight paper won’t fold easily. I cut into squares about 2.25 x 2.25 inches. Experiment with the size and shape you want for your cocktail glasses.

1. Write or print your fortune on the inside top of the rectangles. (see photo above)
2. Fold into a simple airplane hiding the message inside the folds.
3. Rest the paper airplane across the rim of the glass, skewer it with a cocktail pick, or clip it to the edge of the glass with a tiny clothespin.

Pro tip: Make these a day ahead while watching TV—it’s quite relaxing doing origami.

Print

The Kind of Detail Guests Remember

Anyone can pour drinks. But it’s these small, thoughtful touches—the unexpected garnish, the interactive moment, the thing people remember—that make a gathering feel intentional and joyful.

And isn’t that the whole point of hosting?

So batch the cocktails. Fold the planes. Write something silly inside.

Then sit back and let the party take flight.