It’s time to face the bitter truth: Red aperitivi are some of the most versatile spirits in mixology right now. Beyond appearing in beloved classics such as Negroni and Aperol Spritz, red aperitivi are taking on starring roles in cocktails across America, and deserve a spot in any home bar.
Hailing from Northern Italy, a red aperitivo is a bitter scarlet-red liqueur, made by infusing spirits or wine with botanicals and fruits such as orange peel, rhubarb and quinine. Aperitivi are usually drunk, either on their own or in a cocktail, before dinner to whet the appetite.
There are two brands everyone knows: Campari and Aperol. While Aperol is a better entry point for those unacclimated to bitterness, Campari doubles down on it. A general rule of thumb is to use bitter Campari for stronger and boozier tipples, like a Negroni. (Similar brands will feature "bitter" more prominently on their labels.) Aperol is better for fruitier and lighter drinks like spritzes. But don’t take that as law; both brands work with a wide range of cocktails, and beyond them is a growing world of red aperitivi ready to take off. (To learn more, read “Aperitivo Renaissance” from our June 30, 2024, issue).
To help build your home-bartending repertoire, we’ve compiled recipes for 16 fantastic cocktails—from a Japanese-inspired sour accented with pineapple to a bittersweet coffee sipper—using red aperitivi both classic and new.
Negroni
A tried-and-true classic that no home bartender can be without. Its simple 1:1:1 composition is easily riff-able to suit any taste. In the mood for something a bit more sultry? Swap the gin for mezcal. Fruitier and more tropical? Try it with Jamaican rum instead for a Kingston Negroni.
- 1 ounce London dry gin
- 1 ounce Campari (or other bitter red aperitivo)
- 1 ounce sweet red vermouth
- Orange peel, for garnish
Add all ingredients to a rocks glass with ice. Stir until chilled. Garnish with the orange peel and serve.
Aperol Spritz
You know it, you love it. This herbal, fruity, bittersweet refresher makes its rounds across the country each summer. Mix things up by using different red aperitivi or different Proseccos, Franciacortas or brut sparklers.
- 3 ounces sparkling wine
- 2 ounces Aperol (or other red aperitivo)
- 1 ounce club soda
- Orange slice, for garnish
Add all ingredients to a wine glass filled with ice. Stir until chilled and garnish with the orange slice.
Americano
The forefather of many of these cocktails, the Americano is a refreshing classic. There are a few possible stories behind its name, but basically it was created in the 1860s at Gaspare Campari’s bar Caffe Campari in Milan as a way to tone down the bitterness of a Milano-Torino by making it fizzy and cold. The bartender certainly hit the mark!
- 1 1/2 ounce Campari (or other bitter red aperitivo)
- 1 1/2 ounce sweet red vermouth
- Club soda to top
- Orange peel, for garnish
Add Campari and vermouth to a highball glass with ice. Top with club soda and stir to combine. Garnish with an orange peel and serve.
Fent el Vermut!
Taking inspiration from Italy and Spain’s mutual love for sun-filled happy hours, this cocktail from Best of Award of Excellence winner March in Houston is essentially a Negroni accented with an orange liqueur and great Spanish spirits.
- 2 ounces Spanish red vermouth
- 3/4 ounce bitter red aperitivo
- 3/4 ounce gin (such as Xoriguer de Mahon Gin)
- 1/2 ounce orange liqueur (such as Magdala)
- Orange and olive, for garnish
Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker and shake, without ice (this is called dry shaking). Then pour into a Pilsner glass full of crushed ice (topping with more ice if needed).
Negroni Sbagliato
The lovechild of a Negroni and a spritz, this drink took off after a video clip of House of the Dragon actor Emma d’Arcy telling co-star Olivia Cooke it was their favorite drink went viral in 2022. But it still has timeless appeal. Translating to a Negroni “mistake,” the sbagliato trades gin for Prosecco.
- 1 ounce Prosecco
- 1 ounce Campari (or other bitter red aperitivo)
- 1 ounce sweet vermouth
- Orange slice, for garnish
Add all ingredients to a wine glass filled with ice. Stir until chilled and garnish with the orange slice.
The Rosa Spritz
Think pink with this tipple from Hollywood mainstay and Best of Award of Excellence winner Osteria Mozza, owned by star chef Nancy Silverton. The combination of bitter grapefruit and savory rosemary makes a great complement to Cocchi’s wine-based aperitivo, and better yet the cocktail is built entirely in the glass—no mess.
- 1 ounce Cocchi Rosa Aperitivo Americano
- 1 ounce grapefruit juice
- 1/4 ounce rosemary simple syrup
- 3 ounces rosé Prosecco
- Rosemary sprig, for garnish
Add all ingredients to a wide bowl wineglass with ice and serve.
Paper Plane
A landmark drink of the craft cocktail revolution, the Paper Plane was created in 2008 by famed New York City bartenders Sam Ross and Sasha Petraske. Blending the aperitivo with bourbon and a caramelly amaro like Nonino gives the drink a candied fruit quality.
- 3/4 ounce bourbon
- 3/4 ounce red aperitivo
- 3/4 ounce Nonino Amaro
- 3/4 ounce fresh lemon juice
Shake all ingredients with ice in a shaker, strain into a coupe and serve.
Naked and Famous
Riffing on the classic Prohibition cocktail The Last Word and the new-generation drink the Paper Plane, Joaquín Simó created the Naked and Famous during his time at New York City bar Death and Co. The mezcal gives a smoky backbone to the otherwise herbaceous and tart cocktail.
- 3/4 ounce mezcal
- 3/4 ounce red aperitivo
- 3/4 ounce yellow Chartreuse
- 3/4 ounce fresh lime juice
Shake all ingredients with ice in a shaker, strain into a coupe and serve.
Boulevardier
Created in the 1920s by famed bartender Harry MacElhone from Harry’s New York Bar in Paris, the Boulevardier is another benchmark among classic cocktails. The drink changes considerably with the whiskey used. Prefer a mellow and sweet drink? Try it with a bourbon. Want some spice? Use rye instead.
- 1 ounce bourbon or rye
- 1 ounce Campari (or other bitter red aperitivo)
- 1 ounce sweet red vermouth
- Orange peel, for garnish
Add all ingredients to a rocks glass with ice. Stir until chilled and garnish with the orange peel.
Old Pal
Also created by Harry MacElhone, the Old Pal—the often-forgotten little brother of the Boulevardier—uses dry vermouth in place of sweet. The result is a saltier and lighter drink, complemented by notes of citrus.
- 1 1/2 ounce rye whiskey
- 3/4 ounce dry vermouth
- 3/4 ounce red aperitivo
- Lemon peel, for garnish
Stir all ingredients in a mixing glass with ice, strain into a coupe and garnish with the lemon peel.
Friendly Persuasion
Great during brunch or as an early afternoon sipper, the Friendly Persuasion uses fresh strawberry to bring out the red-fruited notes of Aperol. “Looking for that hair-of-the-dog after a night of Boulevardiers? This Friendly Persuasion is as glorious as the night before, but as easygoing as the morning after,” says the cocktail’s creator, Gates Otsuji, co-founder of Swig + Swallow and regional chef de bar at The Standard in New York City.
- 1 strawberry
- 1 ounce Maker’s Mark or another aged bourbon, like Elijah Craig
- 2 dashes Peychaud’s bitters
- 1/2 ounce Aperol (or other red aperitivo)
- 3/4 ounce blanc vermouth
- Lemon peel, for garnish
Muddle strawberry in a mixing glass. Fill with ice. Add remaining ingredients, stir well and fine-strain into a Nick and Nora glass. Garnish with lemon twist.
Ramble On
At Brother Wolf in Knoxville, Tenn., owner Jessica “Rabbit” King (who also owns Award of Excellence winner Osteria Stella in Knoxville), was inspired by her mother’s favorite breakfast: brown sugar brûleéd grapefruit. “Blending [whiskey] with a dry bitter aperitivo and mouthwatering tart citrus fruit creates a harmony of flavors and textures in the glass,” she says.
- 1 1/2 ounces Smooth Ambler Contradiction (or other bourbon)
- 1 ounce Aperol (or other red aperitivo)
- 1/2 ounce honey syrup
- 1/4 ounce fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 ounce grapefruit reduction (recipe below)
- 2 dashes The Bitter Truth grapefruit bitters
- Candied grapefruit peel or grapefruit slice, for garnish
Shake all ingredients vigorously with ice. Strain into a coupe glass or in a rocks glass over ice. Garnish with a candied grapefruit peel.
Grapefruit Reduction
Bring the juice of 3 large grapefruits to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cool, strain and keep refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 5 weeks.
The Birds and Bees
From Best of Award of Excellence winner Yolan in Nashville, this tipple is a play on the Jungle Bird. This cocktail fat-washes Campari in coconut oil, adding a velvety texture and amplifying the botanicals in the aperitivo. With some easy prep beforehand, this tropical sipper is begging to be drunk by a pool.
- 1 1/2 ounces Diplomático Mantuano rum
- 1 1/2 ounces pineapple juice
- 3/4 ounce coconut-washed Campari (see below)
- 1/2 ounce lime juice
- 1/2 ounce honey syrup
- Dehydrated pineapple slice, for garnish
Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker. Add ice cubes and shake vigorously. Strain into a rocks glass over crushed ice, and garnish with a dehydrated pineapple slice.
Coconut-Washed Campari
Seal 1 cup of Campari and 2 tablespoons of melted coconut oil in a jar and shake vigorously to mix. Let rest at room temperature for two hours or overnight. Place the jar in the freezer until the coconut oil has solidified. Strain the mixture into a bottle using a coffee filter or fine mesh sieve. Store in a cool, dry place for up to six months. Shake before each use.
Maestro
Spice things up with the Maestro, which combines a red aperitivo with Japanese whisky, elderflower liqueur, pepper syrup and tangerine oil. The flavors may seem opposed but they balance each other easily, revealing spicy, earthy undertones and creating a “warm and satisfying feeling,” says creator Luis Villaneuva of New York City restaurant Casa Bond.
- 2 ounces Suntory Toki (or other blended Japanese whisky)
- 1/2 ounce Campari (or other red bitter aperitivo)
- 1/4 ounce St-Germain Elderflower liqueur
- 1/2 ounce morita pepper syrup (recipe below)
- 1 drop tangerine oil
- Lemon peel, for garnish
Add ice to a mixing glass, then add all ingredients. Stir for 35 seconds. Strain into a rocks glass over a large cube. Garnish with lemon peel.
Morita Pepper Syrup
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 dehydrated morita peppers
Combine water and sugar in a pot, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook until sugar dissolves, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add peppers and allow to come to a boil again. After a few seconds, remove pot from heat. Let cool to room temperature, then strain syrup into a sealable container. Keep refrigerated for up to 3 weeks.
Damn Hansel
With the popularity of the Espresso Martini having picked up steam in recent years, coffee liqueurs have again been trickling into other drinks. Created by Casie Fennell, bartender at Best of Award of Excellence winner The Restaurant at Zero George in Charleston, S.C., the Damn Hansel relies on the coffee flavor to bring out the orange notes in the red aperitivo and bourbon.
- 1 1/2 ounce Peerless bourbon (or other bourbon)
- 1 ounce Aperol (or other red aperitivo)
- 1 ounce Kahlúa coffee liqueur (or other coffee liqueur)
- 6 drops 20 percent saline solution
- Orange peel, for garnish
Stir all ingredients with ice, strain into a rocks glass over a large ice cube, and garnish with an orange twist.
Orizuru
Influenced by Japanese cocktail culture and playing off of the Paper Plane, the Orizuru uses floral Japanese whisky and yuzu juice. Developed by Andrew Erickson, head bartender at Culaccino in Franklin, Tenn., the drink is further complemented by a bitter pineapple liqueur.
- 3/4 ounce Nikka From the Barrel (or other Japanese whisky)
- 3/4 ounce Aperol (or other red aperitivo)
- 3/4 ounce Heirloom pineapple amaro
- 3/4 ounce yuzu juice
- Lemon peel, for garnish
Shake all ingredients with ice, then double strain into a coupe and garnish with a dehydrated yuzu or lemon twist.
