The Aperol Spritz has taken the world by storm, but what is Aperol exactly? It’s an Italian liqueur that is on everyone’s lips and one of three ingredients in what might be the most popular cocktail in the world!
Recognizable by its bright orange colour, the classic Aperol Spritz cannot be missed. It’s seen everywhere, at every bar, every restaurant, especially on a hot day. It’s so easy to make and so easy to drink. It’s also a gorgeous color and most importantly it tastes great. So let’s explore what makes it so great. (We’ll talk about the garnish later!)
What is Aperol
The original makers of Aperol were Silvio Barbieri and his brother Luigi in Northern Italy and in 1919, they launched this new spirit onto the world. The word itself, Aperol, come from word apéro which is the French word for aperitif!It became all the rage after the war, but in recent years, the Aperol Spritzes became the cocktail of choice after the Gruppo Campari bought it and heavily marketed it and its favorite cocktail.
Although it is slightly bitter, the spirit that is Aperol is technically a liqueur, not an Italian Amaro. It is slightly confusing as it tastes bitter. Like a liqueur, Aperol has added sugar so I like to think of it as a bitter liqueur. It is equally enjoyable being drunk in all different ways, neat or in a spritz or just with club soda or soda water. It is usually served as an aperitif, or a pre-dinner drink to stimulate your appetite!
How does Aperol taste
The recipe is secret, so don’t ask them. It seems to be the perfect balance between bitter and sweet, thanks to its infusion of herbs, such as gentian and cinchona bark, and sweetness from rhubarb and oranges, among other ingredients.
- Color: Reddish Orange
- Nose: Sugary Oranges
- Taste: Sweet orange with a bitter tinge
- Finish: The slight bitterness stays with you
- Alcohol: 11% – thus, the Spritz has become one of the most popular Low-ABV cocktails.
You can use orange peel or an orange twist to bring out the bitter orange notes. Or act like a Venetian and always garnish it with a green olive!
Top Tip(ple)🍸: If you love tonic, try the Aperol Tonic as well.
Why Lush Life loves it
As the Aperol Spritz is one of the easiest and prettiest cocktails to make, it wows your guests. Just popping open the bottle of Prosecco makes it a party, so I think it’s a great bottle to have in your liqueur cabinet. Also as it is so low ABV, it’s a work night cocktail as well!
Where you can buy Aperol
UK: You can find Aperol at Spirits Kiosk. (don’t forget to use ALushLife10SK to get 10% off! – it’s only for my readers and good on anything in their shop!
USA: You can find Aperol on Saucey.com!
Cocktails made with Aperol
Cocktail with Aperol
The original recipe!
Directly from Atlantic Canada, this Nova Scotian take on the Paper Plane cocktail is easy to make and uses Aperol!
A wonderful Easter cocktail made with our spirit of the day, Aperol!
More Lush Guides to Liquor!
Want to know more about the spirits that go into your cocktails? Check out my Lush Guides to Liquor!
- Lush Guide to Grenadine – the syrup that’s in almost all your favorite cocktails
- Lush Guide to Avallen – the new calvados that is so fabulous in cocktails
- Lush Guide to Rampur Double Cask Indian Single Malt Whisky – the premier Indian whisky
- Lush Guide to Starward Left-Field Whisky – Australia’s whisky that is fantastic in cocktails
Let me know what you think of Aperol by tagging me @alushlifemanual on instagram
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