If you’re anything like us, before you try a new cocktail, you read over the ingredients on the bar menu. You probably look for alcohol and the ingredients you prefer. On top of classic ingredients like herbs, bitters, simple syrup, vermouth, and others, one of our favorites is Aperol.
But what exactly is Aperol? There’s a chance you’ve had it in a drink, and you even know what it tastes like. But you probably don’t know what it is. That’s okay. It probably doesn’t stop you from seeking out drinks that use it as an ingredient.
What is Aperol?
First created in 1919 by Luigi and Silvio Barbieri in Padua, Italy, it’s now produced by the Campari Group. But it’s not Campari. It’s an Italian bitter liqueur that’s made with a handful of herbs and botanicals, including gentian root, cinchona, and rhubarb.
It’s well-known for its unique, memorable flavor profile. On its own, it has a notable citrus peel, herbal, and spiced flavors. Like Campari, it’s bittersweet and adds a gentle bitterness to your favorite cocktail.
The best Aperol cocktails
Its lightly sweet, bitter, citrus and herb-forward flavor profile is a great choice for cocktails. There’s a reason it’s included in so many memorable, flavorful drinks. Below, you’ll find some of our favorites. Keep scrolling to see them all.
Paper Plane
While we enjoy a great classic cocktail, we also have love for a contemporary drink. One of our favorite cocktails featuring Aperol is the beloved Paper Plane. This take on the classic Last Word was created in 2008 by famed bartender Sam Ross for the menu for Chicago’s Violet Hour. While the original drink is made with equal parts gin, lime juice, maraschino liqueur, and green Chartreuse, the Paper Plane is made with equal parts bourbon, lemon juice, Amaro Nonino, and Aperol.
What you need to make a Paper Plane
- .75 ounces of bourbon whisky
- .75 ounces of freshly squeezed lemon juice
- .75 ounces of Amaro Nonino
- .75 ounces of Aperol
The Paper Plane recipe steps
1. Add ice to a shaker.
2. Pour in the bourbon, lemon juice, Amaro Nonino, and Aperol to the shaker.
3. Shake vigorously to combine.
4. Strain into a chilled coupe glass.
Naked & Famous
Another contemporary take on The Last Word cocktail, Naked & Famous, is made with equal parts mezcal, yellow Chartreuse, freshly squeezed lime juice, and Aperol. The drink was created in 2011 by well-known bartender Joaquín Simó at New York City’s Death and Company cocktail bar. It’s well-known for its complex, nuanced flavor profile of smoky mezcal, fresh, tart citrus, herbal Chartreuse, and bittersweet Aperol.
What you need to make a Naked & Famous
- .75 ounces of mezcal
- .75 ounces of freshly squeezed lemon juice
- .75 ounces of yellow Chartreuse
- .75 ounces of Aperol
The Naked & Famous recipe steps
1. Add ice to a shaker.
2. Pour in the mezcals, freshly squeezed lemon juice, yellow Chartreuse, and Aperol.
3. Vigorously shake to combine.
4. Strain into a chilled coupe glass.
Aperol Spritz
There are no Aperol-based drinks more famous than the Aperol Spritz. This drink has increased in popularity in the last few years, but it has a much longer history. While Aperol was invented in 1919, an official recipe for the Aperol Spritz didn’t show up until the 1950s. This popular aperitif is made with Aperol, prosecco (Italian sparkling wine), and soda water. It’s well-known for its refreshing, sparkling, bittersweet flavor.
What you need to make the Aperol Spritz
- 2 ounces of Aperol
- 3 ounces of prosecco
- Topper of soda water
The Aperol Spritz recipe steps
1. Add ice to a wine glass.
2. Pour in the Aperol and prosecco.
3. Gently stir to combine.
4. Top with soda water.
5. Garnish with a slice of orange.
El Chapo
If you’re looking for a simple, easy-to-make Aperol-based cocktail, try the El Chapo. Created by Nashville-based bartender Ben Clemons, this three-ingredient cocktail consists simply of gin, strawberry-infused Aperol, and grapefruit beer. The result is a fruity, botanical, tart, bittersweet, highly refreshing cocktail that is perfect for the warmer months (and all years long).
What you need to make the El Chapo cocktail
- 1.5 ounces of gin
- 1 ounce of strawberry-infused Aperol
- Topper of grapefruit beer (like Stiegl Radler)
The El Chapo cocktail recipe steps
1. Add ice to a rocks glass.
2. Pour in the gin and strawberry-infused Aperol.
3. Stir gently to combine.
4. Top with grapefruit beer.
5. Garnish with strawberry slices.
Bottom line
If you’re looking for a refreshing, sweet, lightly bitter cocktail, try one of the above Aperol-based drinks. While there’s a good chance you’ve tried an Aperol Spritz before, why not branch out and try one of the other Aperol-based
