Aperol Italian Aperitivo (75cl, 11%)

Aperol is an Italian aperitif created in 1919 by Luigi and Silvio Barbieri in Padua. The recipe has remained unchanged since then: a secret infusion of 16 botanicals, including bitter orange, gentian, cinchona bark and Chinese rhubarb, macerated in neutral spirit, sweetened and diluted to 11% ABV. The Barbieri Company was established in 1891 by Giuseppe Barbieri, and Aperol was created for the Padua International Fair. It is now produced by the Campari Group, with production remaining in Italy. The majority of the herbs and roots come from Piedmont. The result is classified as an amaro leggero, a light bitter herbal liqueur, with a bittersweet profile. At 11% ABV it is low enough to be sessionable across a long aperitivo hour and complex enough to anchor cocktails.