Written by Scott Noriega
Pianist, Composer, Writer and Cocktail Storyteller
(Cocktail lovers, you MUST follow him on Instagram @telling_cocktails)
Magical Colorful Elixirs
One of the joys of walking into a new bar is always the excitement of seeing the numerous bottles sitting on the shelf: the different shapes, sizes, and, yes, especially colors. For me, there is always one color that stands out above the rest—those magical colorful bottles of bitter liquers. Probably the most famous (or infamous) red bottle up there is Campari, a type of Italian bitter liqueur, often categorized as an aperitivo.
What are Aperitivi + BITTER LIQUEURS?
Though there are subtle differences between bitter liqueurs and aperitivi — red bitter liqueurs tend to be less sweet, more bitter, a bit heavier in mouthfeel and they tend to run higher in ABV (alcohol by volume), 20-30% compared to 10-20% for aperitivi — in my eyes, they are more similar than not.
Both types are made by macerating either wines or liquors with citrus peels, sometimes other fruits like berries, some herbs, spices, barks, and roots, the last few of which give these spirits their bitterness. Sugar is later added to make them more palatable. They also function in similar ways: as part of aperitivo culture.
When to enjoy them?
An aperitivo (or aperitivi plural), in addition to being a term that distinguishes bitter liqueurs, is also the name for a drink or spirit meant to whet one’s appetite before a meal. Coming from the Latin verb aperire (to open) the best way to think of these liqueurs is as a spiritous appetizer—drinks that with their varying degrees of bitterness, open one’s palate, allowing one to both savor the moment and prepare one for the meal to come.
Aperitivo Snacks
It’s not to say that they shouldn’t be enjoyed on their own, but for me, aperitivi are also best accompanied by any number of saltier foods to balance out their inherent bitterness and dryness: cheeses, olives, cured meats, a few bruschetta, even smaller slices of pizza all work well.
Brands of Aperitivi
There are dozens of wonderful aperitivi and red bitter liqueurs on the market. Some aperitivi are made by companies better known for other spirits or products such as Luxardo (maraschino liqueur and delicious maraschino cherries), Peychaud’s (a New Orleans Creole-style bitters used in cocktails such as the Sazerac), Galliano (known for their extra tall bottles of yellow herbal liqueur), and Martini & Rossi (vermouth, anyone?).
International Brands of Aperitivi
More recently certain American brands such as Faccia Bruto, Leopold Brothers, St. George, and Forthave Spirits have also started producing wonderful examples, as have other companies both in and out of Europe: Mondino out of Germany, Stockholms Bränneri Röd out of Sweden, Lava out of Iceland, and Økar Island from Australia all come to mind.
Italian Brands of Aperitivi
Or why not keep it Italian: Cappelletti, Contratto, and Walcher all produce wonderful examples, in addition to one of the best-known brands, Aperol, best known in its classic Spritz cocktail. Then there is the lovely Select, a bottle that comes out of Venice, where you will find it in spritz form as well. It lies somewhere between Aperol and Campari in its bitterness. But of all the bottles out there, one remains the king of them all: Campari.
Campari
Developed by Gaspare Campari in the city of Novara, just west of Milan, in 1860 – making it just a bit older than the Kingdom of Italy (1861-1946), the precursor to the modern Republic of Italy (1946-today) – Campari can be bracing for those unprepared for its inherent bitterness. Remember how I called it infamous above?
When one gets a taste for it, though, it can be one of the most enjoyable flavors to work with.
Classic Campari Cocktails
There are several classic cocktails that use the spirit well: the Negroni, the Cardinale, the Negroni Sbagliato, the Garibaldi, the Mi-To, the Americano, and one of my favorites (it doesn’t hurt that I had a few on the Grand Canal while in Venice), the Campari Spritz. If you really love the flavor of Campari, then all of these are fabulous cocktails.
Versatility of Campari
But Campari also mixes well with a number of spirits from around the world and when balanced in a cocktail can provide just the right amount of bitterness to bring depth of flavor and interest to virtually any mixed drink. So grab a bottle of Campari and a bottle of gin, bourbon, tequila, or brandy, and let’s get cocktailing.
Below are four cocktails made with Campari for you to enjoy!
Campari Cocktails WIth Recipes
Photo credit: Scott Noriega @telling_cocktails
The Left Hand
The Left Hand Cocktail. Photo credit: Scott Noriega @telling_cocktails
This cocktail is the brainchild of one of my favorite bartenders and mixologists out there, Sam Ross, known for other classic cocktails such as the Penicillin, the Paper Plane, and one of my favorite off-the-radar cocktails, the Too Soon. This cocktail is a play on the Boulevardier, a Negroni variation that swaps the gin in the original for bourbon. If in NYC, one should check out Ross’s bar, Attaboy, in the Lower East Side.
Which ingredients did I use? Elijah Craig bourbon, Carpano Antica vermouth, and Fee Brother’s chocolate bitters.
Ingredients
1 1⁄2 oz Bourbon
3⁄4 oz Sweet Vermouth
3⁄4 oz Campari
2-3 dashes of Chocolate Bitters
Garnish: 1 Maraschino Cherry
How to Make It:
1. Add all ingredients to stirring glass.
2. Add ice to cover and stir to chill, 20-30 seconds.
3. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
4. Garnish with maraschino cherry.
5. Serve and enjoy!
The Enzoni
The Enzoni Cocktail. Photo credit: Scott Noriega @telling_cocktails
First made by bartender Vincenzo Errico while tending bar at NYC’s Milk & Honey, the Enzoni is a play on a Gin Sour and a Negroni. Rather than sweet vermouth, Errico uses grapes for their inherent sweetness. The Campari adds just the right amount of bitterness to make the cocktail not only refreshing, but interesting. One of my summer favorites!
Which ingredients did I use? Tanqueray gin, Madhava agave, and freshly squeezed lemon juice.
Ingredients
5 Grapes
1 oz Gin
1 oz Campari
3⁄4 oz Lemon Juice 1⁄4 oz Agave
Garnish: 1 Grape
How to Make It
1. Add 5 grapes to shaker tin and muddle.
2. Add the remaining ingredients into shaker.
3. Add ice to cover and shake to combine and chill, 10-20 seconds.
4. Double strain (a single fine mesh will do) into a chilled rocks glass fitted with a large ice cube.
5. Garnish with an additional grape.
6. Serve and enjoy!
The Siesta
The Siesta Cocktail. Photo credit: Scott Noriega @telling_cocktails
If one loves a good Margarita, or even better a good Paloma, then one will surely love the Siesta cocktail. First poured by bartender Katie Stipe at the Flatiron Lounge in NYC, it soon became one of that establishment’s most popular and requested cocktails. And rightly so! It is refreshing, complex, and easy sipping!
Which ingredients did I use? Calle 23 Tequila, Madhava agave, and freshly squeezed lime and grapefruit juices.
Ingredients
2 oz Tequila
3⁄4 oz Lime Juice
1⁄2 oz Grapefruit Juice 1⁄2 oz Campari
1⁄4 oz Agave
Garnish: Lime Wedge
How to Make It
1. Add all ingredients to shaker tin.
2. Add ice to cover and shake to chill, 10-20 seconds.
3. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. (I do not use a fine strainer as I like the little pieces of pulp)
4. Garnish with lime wedge.
5. Serve and enjoy!
Il ‘Cello Rosso (The Red Cello)
Il Cello Rosso Cocktail. Photo credit: Scott Noriega @telling_cocktails
I love brandy and I find that the ingredient is one of the most underappreciated with many bartenders. When looking for a cocktail that featured the ingredient, I found that there were few that I could even consider. So what did I do? I created my own. Using my own specs for a Sidecar cocktail (brandy, Cointreau, lemon juice), I swapped out the ounce of orange liqueur for Limoncello and Campari. The name? My other passion: music. That and the red cocktail using some Limon-cello! Did I succeed? My glass was finished. But what do you think?
Which ingredients did I use? Lustau Solera Reserva brandy, Caravella limoncello, and freshly squeezed lemon juice.
Ingredients
1 1⁄2 oz Brandy or Cognac 1⁄2 oz Campari
1⁄2 oz Limoncello
1⁄2 oz Lemon Juice
Garnish: Lemon Twist
How to Make It
1. Add all ingredients into shaker tin.
2. Add ice to cover and shake to chill.
3. Strain into chilled cocktail glass.
4. Garnish with lemon twist (or wedge).
5. Serve and enjoy.
