Handy & Schiller Small Batch Paper Plane Cocktail
25% ABV (50 proof) | 750mL | Ready-to-drink cocktail | Small batch, bottled at Buffalo Trace Distillery, Kentucky — Handy & Schiller Small Batch Paper Plane is a bar-quality Paper Plane in a bottle: a take on the modern classic built on bourbon, bitter orange, amaro-style herbal depth and lemon. It's part of the Handy & Schiller Signature Cocktails line from the Sazerac Company / Merchants Exchange Co. — crafted and bottled in small batches at Buffalo Trace Distillery in Kentucky, and named for Thomas Handy and John Schiller, the 19th-century bartenders who shaped New Orleans cocktail culture at the Sazerac Coffee House. Just pour over ice — no mixing, no shaking. Available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA.
The Paper Plane was created by Sam Ross in 2008 at Milk & Honey in New York — equal-parts bourbon, bitter aperitivo, amaro and lemon — and became the defining whiskey cocktail of its era. This bottled version captures its signature balance: tangy lemon up front, rich herbal bitterness behind, clean citrus fade. Unlike Handy & Schiller's barrel-aged Old Fashioned and Manhattan bottlings, the Signature Cocktails line (Paper Plane, Mint Julep) is NOT barrel-aged. Among ready-to-drink cocktails, few come from a distillery with Buffalo Trace's pedigree.
Tasting notes
Nose: bright citrus zest, orange peel, herbal complexity. Palate: tangy lemon up front, rich herbal and slightly bitter notes. Finish: clean, refreshing, subtly sweet with a citrusy fade.
Why buy it from Del Mesa Liquor
- 25% ABV (50 proof), 750mL — ready-to-drink, just pour over ice
- A bottled take on the modern-classic Paper Plane: bourbon, bitter orange, herbal amaro depth, lemon
- Small batch — crafted and bottled at Buffalo Trace Distillery, Kentucky
- Named for Thomas Handy & John Schiller of Sazerac Coffee House fame
- Available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor
How to serve it
Serve chilled or over a large ice cube with a fresh lemon twist. No bartending required — built for entertaining.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Paper Plane cocktail?
A modern whiskey cocktail created in 2008: traditionally bourbon, bitter orange aperitivo, amaro and lemon juice in equal parts — tangy, herbal and bittersweet.
Is this Handy & Schiller Paper Plane barrel-aged?
No — the Signature Cocktails line is not barrel-aged (that's the brand's Old Fashioned/Manhattan line). This is a ready-to-pour 25% ABV bottling.
How do you serve it?
Chilled or over ice with a lemon twist — no mixing or shaking needed.