An aperitif for our time
While Aperol is enjoyed around the world, its origin story is squarely an Italian one.
Barbieri brothers Luigi and Silvio wanted to make a lighter aperitif unique to Padua, Italy. They launched their low alcohol (only 11%) creation at the 1919 Padua International Fair, west of Venice. It was good timing – aperitifs were gaining in popularity and Aperol quickly took off.
Casually refreshing, deceptively complex
Aperitifs are traditionally a pre-meal, drink used to stimulate the appetite during “aperitivo hour”.
When you try Aperol for the first time, you’ll notice a dry drink, with aromas and flavours including sweet and bitter oranges, rhubarb and gentian root. Aperol’s closely-guarded secret recipe is also flavoured with a varierty of other herbs and roots.
It’s a great casual aperitif, but there’s also plenty for connoisesseurs to wrap their taste buds around.
Nose: orange zest, with complex herbal scents and a touch of vanilla.
Body: intense orange top with herbal and woody body notes, pleasantly bittersweet and salty.
Texture: velvety and rounded, with long-lasting orange and woody mouthfeel.
Aftertaste: a long herbal bitterness.
The taste of summer
Today you might know Aperol best as the Aperol Spritz, which is usually made up of Aperol, prosecco and soda water and served over ice. This refreshing and brightly-coloured aperitif first became popular in the 1950s, at aperitivo hours throughout Italy.
