The Cabinet: Aperol

Beyond the Spritz

~ APEROL ~
Sweet low-alcohol aperitif made with orange, rhubarb, chinotto and gentian. 11% ABV. ~£15 for 700ml
Friends with: gin, tequila/mezcal, vermouth, white wine, citrus (especially grapefruit) and lime too. Elderflower.

I promised to do an Aperol post a while ago now, didn’t I, back in the early Autumn, before the holiday feeling was rubbed into nothingness? I had just returned from Lake Como, my first visit to Italy in a while, and I was faintly astonished at just how ubiquitous the Aperol Spritz had become. I mean, knew it was popular but literally everyone (except me) was drinking it all the time. The drink has become synonymous with “holidays” and “Italy” - as confirmed by the second season of The White Lotus, which apparently increased Aperol sales in the US by 50% last year. And correct me if I’m wrong? - no one was drinking this thing 10 or 15 years ago. A few of us were drinking the O.G. Spritz, a speciality of Venice, made with Campari, soave and a splash of sparkling water. But Aperol? Not much to write home about.

Simona Tabasco in White Lotus