Aperol Orange Aperitivo (75cl, 11%)

An Italian aperitif liqueur made from a proprietary blend of 16 botanicals including bitter orange, gentian, rhubarb and cinchona bark. Created in 1919 by brothers Luigi and Silvio Barbieri and debuted at the Padua International Fair, it was conceived as a lighter, more approachable aperitif. The recipe calls for multiple extraction techniques, including maceration below 35°C, digestion at 40–60°C, infusion, decoction and percolation. The liqueur's signature orange hue comes from carrot extract used as the principal natural colouring agent. Gruppo Campari has owned the brand since 2003. Zesty orange peel and pink grapefruit lead the nose, followed by complex herbal and root-like undertones with a subtle touch of vanilla. Bright orange cordial arrives on the entry, layered with herbal and woody mid-palate tones, while the finish is relatively short but clean, with lingering zesty orange and grapefruit alongside a light, rooty bitterness.