Aperol

Aperol is invented in a town called Padua in northern Italy close to Venice, this drink was when first launched revolutionary because it presented the idea of an apéritif, a drink made to stimulate the appetite before a meal, with a very low alcohol by volume level, only 11%.

A product from the Campari Group

Aperol is currently owned and produced by the Campari group, who also owns the rights to produce products such as SKYY Vodka, Cinzano, Campari, and Riccadonna. Although the Campari group currently owns and produces Aperol, the original owners were the Barbieri company who created it during the Padua Exhibition of 1919, however, it was not until after the second World War that the production really started. Today it is largely popular in Italian homes and bars and can be obtained at nearly every place that sells alcohol in Italy and it is estimated that a total of 3.4 million Italians enjoy Aperol.

Secret recipe

Since the creation of the beverage in 1919 the recipe has stayed both secret and exactly the same, even though the production has switched between two companies. The different ingredients of Aperol are bitter orange, gentian, rhubarb and others. It is similar to Campari in both taste, smell and color but it has less than half the alcohol by volume level of Campari.

Aperol is the main ingredient in Italian Spritz, a type of cocktail served as an apéritif in northern Italy, a Spritz is made by mixing a white wine and Aperol into a glass and then add sparkling mineral water on top, served cold or over ice with a slice of orange or an olive as garnishment. The Spritz originated in Venice from the time of Austrian occupation of the area and is derived from the Austrian Spritzer which is a drink made from mixing equal parts white wine and water.