.make-mode-stage .fx-liquid-rise,.make-mode-stage .fx-ice-fill,.make-mode-stage .fx-muddle-drop,.make-mode-stage .fx-muddle-work,.make-mode-stage .fx-straw-insert,.make-mode-stage .fx-prop-enter{animation-play-state:running}

Spirit collection

Aperitivo & Spritz Cocktails

The aperitivo is Italy’s great gift to early evenings: low-proof, bittersweet drinks designed to open the appetite rather than end the night. The Aperol Spritz leads, but the Americano, Hugo and Campari Soda deserve equal billing.

47guided recipesml + ozprecise specs

Most of these build straight in the glass over ice with something sparkling on top — the easiest good drinks you can serve a crowd.

Aperol Spritz in a large stemmed balloon wine glass styled in a shaded portico bar with sun-faded ochre render, cool stone and distant cypress blur.

Aperol Spritz

LightBuilt in glassSparkling

The Aperol Spritz is the 3-2-1 cocktail: three parts prosecco, two parts Aperol, one part soda, built over ice in a big wine glass. Bright orange, lightly bitter, and the easiest way to look like you know what you are doing.

Americano in a tall straight-sided highball glass styled in an Italian terrace with faded apricot stucco, pale limestone and blurred olive leaves.

Americano

LightBuilt in glassHighball

Campari, sweet vermouth and a long splash of soda — the low-proof aperitivo the Negroni grew out of. Bright, bitter and endlessly drinkable.

Garibaldi in a tall straight-sided highball glass styled in a compact European wine bar with limewashed walls, old oak and a single shaded globe.

Garibaldi

LightStirredHighball

Just Campari and orange juice — but “fluffy,” fresh-squeezed and aerated, it becomes something special. Bitter-sweet and sunshine-bright.

French 75 in a slender champagne flute styled in a glasshouse café bar with pale stone, fern shadows and lightly weathered brass.

French 75

MediumShakenSparkling

Gin and lemon shaken cold, then topped with champagne — named for a field gun because it hits hard. Elegant, celebratory and crisp.

Bellini in a slender champagne flute styled in a compact European wine bar with limewashed walls, old oak and a single shaded globe.

Bellini

MediumBuilt in glassSparkling

Venice’s peach-and-prosecco aperitivo, born at Harry’s Bar. Soft, fruity and barely there in the best way.

Kir Royale in a slender champagne flute styled in a Milan aperitivo bar with oxblood hand-painted plaster, asymmetric aged brass and dark green marble.

Kir Royale

MediumBuilt in glassSparkling

A drop of blackcurrant liqueur under a glass of champagne — deep pink, dry and effortlessly chic.

Hugo Spritz in a large stemmed balloon wine glass styled in a compact European wine bar with limewashed walls, old oak and a single shaded globe.

Hugo Spritz

LightBuilt in glassSparkling

The lighter, floral spritz: elderflower and prosecco with soda and fresh mint over ice. Delicate and summery.

Campari Spritz in a large stemmed balloon wine glass styled in a Milan aperitivo bar with oxblood hand-painted plaster, asymmetric aged brass and dark green marble.

Campari Spritz

MediumBuilt in glassSparkling

The bitterer sibling of the Aperol Spritz: Campari, prosecco and a splash of soda over ice. Deep red and properly aperitivo.

Negroni Sbagliato in a large stemmed balloon wine glass styled in a shaded portico bar with sun-faded ochre render, cool stone and distant cypress blur.

Negroni Sbagliato

MediumBuilt in glassSparkling

The “mistaken” Negroni: Campari and sweet vermouth topped with prosecco instead of gin. Lighter, fizzier, just as ruby-red.

Airmail in a large stemmed balloon wine glass styled in a shaded island courtyard bar with faded sea-green render, old terrazzo and a single palm shadow.

Airmail

MediumShakenSparkling

A rum Bee’s Knees lifted with champagne — aged rum, lime and honey, topped with bubbles. Celebratory and bright.

Champagne Cocktail in a large stemmed balloon wine glass styled in a grand but lived-in hotel bar with veined stone, dark cherry wood and an opal pendant.

Champagne Cocktail

MediumBuilt in glassSparkling

A sugar cube soaked in bitters under a glass of champagne, with a cognac lift — the oldest of the bubbly classics. Pure occasion.

Death in the Afternoon in a slender champagne flute styled in a modern amaro bar with ribbed walnut, smoked red plaster and brushed pewter.

Death in the Afternoon

StrongBuilt in glassSparkling

Hemingway’s own: absinthe topped with champagne until it turns opalescent. “Drink three to five slowly,” he wrote.

Old Cuban in a clear shallow coupe styled in an airy tropical hotel bar with irregular off-white plaster, rattan shadow and honey limestone.

Old Cuban

MediumShakenSparkling

Audrey Saunders’ dressed-up mojito: aged rum, lime, mint and bitters shaken and topped with champagne. Elegant and sparkling.

Industry Sour in a clear shallow coupe styled in a quiet canal café bar with worn celadon paint, old terrazzo and watery reflections in the distance.

Industry Sour

StrongShakenSour

Equal parts Fernet and green Chartreuse is not a friendly way to open. That's roughly the point: this is what bartenders order at the end of a shift, not the start of one. Lime and sugar keep it the right side of medicinal.

Amaro Spritz in a large stemmed balloon wine glass styled in a Milan aperitivo bar with oxblood hand-painted plaster, asymmetric aged brass and dark green marble.

Amaro Spritz

MediumBuilt in glassSparkling

A bittersweet spritz built on amaro instead of Aperol — deeper and more herbal, topped with prosecco and soda.

Seelbach in a large stemmed balloon wine glass styled in a small jazz bar with oxblood plaster, old brass trim and scratched dark wood.

Seelbach

StrongBuilt in glassSparkling

Bourbon and orange liqueur with a startling number of bitters, topped with champagne. Rich, spiced and sparkling.

Pornstar Martini in a sharp V-shaped martini glass styled in a city rooftop bar with weathered concrete, dark stone and defocused blue-hour windows.

Pornstar Martini

MediumShakenSparkling

A modern smash hit: vanilla-scented vodka shaken with passion fruit and lime, served with a sidecar of fizz. Fruity, tart and fun.

Mexican 55 in a slender champagne flute styled in a restrained modern mezcalería with blackened steel, pale clay render and rough volcanic stone.

Mexican 55

MediumShakenSparkling

A tequila French 75: agave spirit shaken with lemon and agave, then lengthened with sparkling wine. Crisp and celebratory.

The Ritz in a clear shallow coupe styled in a Belle Époque salon bar with faded burgundy velvet, dark marble and aged brass.

The Ritz

StrongShakenSparkling

Dale DeGroff’s showpiece: cognac, orange liqueur and maraschino shaken with lemon, then floated with champagne. Luxurious and layered.

Moonwalk in a clear shallow coupe styled in a shaded portico bar with sun-faded ochre render, cool stone and distant cypress blur.

Moonwalk

MediumShakenSparkling

Created at the Savoy to toast the first Moon landing: orange liqueur and grapefruit shaken and topped with champagne.

Prince of Wales in a large stemmed balloon wine glass styled in an old railway club bar with bottle-green leather, mahogany and aged nickel.

Prince of Wales

StrongBuilt in glassSparkling

Rye, a bar spoon of maraschino, bitters, and champagne over the top. It drinks like an Old Fashioned in a dinner jacket, the whiskey still doing the talking under the bubbles.

Bitter Giuseppe in a heavy low rocks glass styled in a modern amaro bar with ribbed walnut, smoked red plaster and brushed pewter.

Bitter Giuseppe

StrongStirredSpirit-forward

A bartender’s nightcap: Cynar-style amaro with sweet vermouth and a generous hit of orange bitters. Deeply bitter and stirring.

French 76 in a slender champagne flute styled in a late-night espresso bar with smoky navy limewash, scratched dark oak and restrained chrome highlights.

French 76

StrongShakenSparkling

A French 75 with vodka instead of gin: lemon and sugar shaken cold, then lengthened with champagne. Crisp and celebratory.

Adonis in a clear shallow coupe styled in an Italian terrace with faded apricot stucco, pale limestone and blurred olive leaves.

Adonis

MediumShakenSpirit-forward

A featherweight aperitif from the 1880s: dry sherry and sweet vermouth with a dash of orange bitters. Nutty, gentle and endlessly sippable.

Bamboo in a clear shallow coupe styled in a quiet canal café bar with worn celadon paint, old terrazzo and watery reflections in the distance.

Bamboo

MediumShakenSpirit-forward

Sherry and dry vermouth in equal measure, with a dash each of aromatic and orange bitters. Roughly the strength of a glass of wine, nutty and bone dry, and the thing to reach for when you want flavor without the evening ending early.

Vermouth Cocktail in a heavy low rocks glass styled in a Milan aperitivo bar with oxblood hand-painted plaster, asymmetric aged brass and dark green marble.

Vermouth Cocktail

MediumStirredSpirit-forward

Sweet vermouth is the entire drink here, poured over ice with a couple of dashes of bitters and a lemon twist. Which means the bottle you buy is the recipe. Something dusty and half empty from the back of a cupboard will taste exactly like that.

Sherry Cobbler in a tall straight-sided highball glass styled in an Italian terrace with faded apricot stucco, pale limestone and blurred olive leaves.

Sherry Cobbler

MediumStirredTropical

The drink that made drinking straws famous: sherry with sugar and orange, swizzled over a mountain of crushed ice. Bright, low-proof and refreshing.

Chrysanthemum in a clear shallow coupe styled in a quiet canal café bar with worn celadon paint, old terrazzo and watery reflections in the distance.

Chrysanthemum

StrongShakenSpirit-forward

No base spirit anywhere in it. Dry vermouth does the carrying, Bénédictine brings honey and dried herbs, and a few dashes of absinthe run through the middle like a wire. Gentle on paper, loud in the glass.

Poinsettia in a slender champagne flute styled in a compact European wine bar with limewashed walls, old oak and a single shaded globe.

Poinsettia

MediumBuilt in glassSparkling

Cranberry and orange liqueur under a long pour of champagne, red as the plant it borrows its name from. Tart rather than sweet, which is what makes it work before a meal instead of after one.

Chicago in a large stemmed balloon wine glass styled in a grand but lived-in hotel bar with veined stone, dark cherry wood and an opal pendant.

Chicago

StrongBuilt in glassSparkling

Cognac and a splash of orange liqueur, bittered, then filled with champagne and served over ice in a wine glass. Warmer and more assertive than a Champagne Cocktail, and it lasts a good deal longer in the hand.

Grand Mimosa in a slender champagne flute styled in an Italian terrace with faded apricot stucco, pale limestone and blurred olive leaves.

Grand Mimosa

LightBuilt in glassSparkling

A Mimosa with a shot of Grand Marnier folded in — richer, deeper and a little more grown-up than the brunch original.

Fernet and Coke in a tall straight-sided highball glass styled in a shaded portico bar with sun-faded ochre render, cool stone and distant cypress blur.

Fernet and Coke

LightBuilt in glassHighball

Argentina’s unofficial national drink: bitter, minty Fernet lengthened with cola over plenty of ice. An acquired taste worth acquiring.

Campari Soda in a tall straight-sided highball glass styled in an Italian terrace with faded apricot stucco, pale limestone and blurred olive leaves.

Campari Soda

LightBuilt in glassHighball

The simplest Italian aperitivo: Campari over ice, lengthened with soda. Bitter, ruby and bracingly refreshing before dinner.

Aperol Sour in a heavy low rocks glass styled in a quiet canal café bar with worn celadon paint, old terrazzo and watery reflections in the distance.

Aperol Sour

LightShakenSour

Only 11% alcohol in the base, which is why this drinks like an aperitif rather than a sour. Lemon does most of the work, and the small pour of syrup is there to round the edges, not to sweeten anything.

Amaro Sour in a heavy low rocks glass styled in a quiet canal café bar with worn celadon paint, old terrazzo and watery reflections in the distance.

Amaro Sour

StrongShakenSour

Which amaro you open changes the drink completely. Montenegro gives you orange peel and vanilla, Averna is caramel and cola, Nonino is grappa-bright and dry. Taste the bottle first, then decide whether the syrup goes in at all.

Ferrari in a heavy low rocks glass styled in an Italian terrace with faded apricot stucco, pale limestone and blurred olive leaves.

Ferrari

StrongStirredSpirit-forward

Fernet-Branca is the loudest bottle on most back bars, all menthol, saffron and bitter root, and this pairs it one to one with sweet vermouth. Grape sugar gives the menthol somewhere to land. Served small, over ice, very cold.

Flirtini in a large stemmed balloon wine glass styled in a lived-in industrial loft bar with charcoal brick, scratched walnut and aged metal details.

Flirtini

MediumShakenSparkling

A turn-of-the-millennium party favourite: vodka and pineapple with a splash of orange liqueur, topped with champagne. Fizzy and fun.

Barracuda in a large stemmed balloon wine glass styled in an airy tropical hotel bar with irregular off-white plaster, rattan shadow and honey limestone.

Barracuda

StrongShakenSparkling

A sparkling tiki number: golden rum and Galliano with pineapple and lime, topped with prosecco. Tropical and celebratory.

Port Wine Cocktail in a heavy low rocks glass styled in a compact European wine bar with limewashed walls, old oak and a single shaded globe.

Port Wine Cocktail

StrongStirredSpirit-forward

Just about the simplest cocktail there is: a generous measure of ruby port with a drop of curaçao, stirred cold. Soft, sweet and low-proof.

Rome with a View in a heavy low rocks glass styled in an Italian terrace with faded apricot stucco, pale limestone and blurred olive leaves.

Rome with a View

LightBuilt in glassSour

A bright, low-proof spritz of a drink: Campari and dry vermouth balanced with lime and a splash of soda. Bitter, fizzy and easy.

Milano-Torino in a heavy low rocks glass styled in a modern amaro bar with ribbed walnut, smoked red plaster and brushed pewter.

Milano-Torino

StrongStirredSpirit-forward

The two-ingredient ancestor of the Americano and Negroni: Campari from Milan, sweet vermouth from Turin, over ice. Bitter-sweet and elemental.

Champagne Pick-Me-Up in a large stemmed balloon wine glass styled in an old orchard inn bar with pale plaster, applewood and a soft window looking onto bare branches.

Champagne Pick-Me-Up

MediumBuilt in glassSparkling

Cognac, orange juice and a little grenadine on their own would be a soft, fruity brandy drink. Sixty milliliters of champagne over the top dries it out and gives it lift. Pick-me-up meant a morning drink, and this one still behaves like one.

Nelson's Blood in a slender champagne flute styled in a compact European wine bar with limewashed walls, old oak and a single shaded globe.

Nelson's Blood

MediumBuilt in glassSparkling

Ruby port under a flute of champagne sounds like it should be sweet, and it isn't. Bubbles strip the fruit back to something dark and dry, and the drink is finished in two ingredients.

Kir Impérial in a slender champagne flute styled in a modern amaro bar with ribbed walnut, smoked red plaster and brushed pewter.

Kir Impérial

MediumBuilt in glassSparkling

A Kir Royale dressed in raspberry: a measure of raspberry liqueur lifted with champagne. Pink, fruity and elegant.

Addington in a large stemmed balloon wine glass styled in a Milan aperitivo bar with oxblood hand-painted plaster, asymmetric aged brass and dark green marble.

Addington

LightBuilt in glassHighball

A featherlight aperitif: equal sweet and dry vermouth over ice, freshened with a little soda and an orange twist.

Diplomat in a clear shallow coupe styled in a quiet canal café bar with worn celadon paint, old terrazzo and watery reflections in the distance.

Diplomat

MediumShakenSpirit-forward

Two parts dry vermouth to one sweet, with maraschino measured in drops rather than spoons. Wine weight rather than spirit weight, cherry and a faint nuttiness over a herbal base. An aperitif that leaves you able to eat dinner afterwards.

Bittersweet in a heavy low rocks glass styled in a modern amaro bar with ribbed walnut, smoked red plaster and brushed pewter.

Bittersweet

MediumShakenSpirit-forward

Equal measures of sweet and dry vermouth, then bitters twice over: Angostura for spice, orange for lift. Low enough in alcohol to drink before dinner without consequence, bitter enough that you notice it going down.

Keep browsing

More ways in.

A Daiquiri, minty rum highball and dark rum rocks drink at a sunset terrace bar.

Rum Cocktails65 recipes

A gin highball, dry Martini and ruby bitter gin cocktail in a botanical bar.

Gin Cocktails80 recipes

A copper mug, Espresso Martini and clear vodka highball against evening city lights.

Vodka Cocktails47 recipes

A salt-rimmed Margarita, coral Paloma and mezcal rocks drink on an agave terrace.

Tequila & Mezcal Cocktails38 recipes

An Old Fashioned, Whiskey Sour and sparkling whiskey highball in a warm library bar.

Whiskey Cocktails88 recipes

A Sidecar, amber brandy rocks drink and bright brandy highball in a hotel bar.

Brandy & Cognac Cocktails38 recipes

Three sophisticated alcohol-free cocktails made with herbs, berries, tea and citrus.

Mocktails16 recipes