The Boulevardier Meets His Cocktail

So I wander into ZigZag and plop myself down at the bar. As usual, I tell Murray what I've had to drink so far (a Negroni), and he suggests a Boulevardier.

Well! Seattle Magazine called me "Belltown's Boulevardier" earlier this year, so a Boulevardier it had to be:

1 1/2 ounces bourbon (or rye)
1 ounce Campari
1 ounce sweet vermouth
Stir with cracked ice & strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a cherry, lemon twist or orange slice.

I'm not really a bourbon fan, but I do like the distinct bass note that the bourbon provides, am grateful for the orange bitters, and ask only for a splash more Campari to make the drink perfectly balanced for my palate. Dude to my right, having finished his cocktail, asks Murray to make him the same thing. Then we get to talking, and everyone mentions Paul Clarke's recent post on his blog, CocktailChronicles. "Yeah, Paul really liked that," says Murray.