The days when Campari was the only Italian red bitter you’d likely find at an American bottle shop or bar are now a distant memory. Today, liquor store shelves are lined with a constantly expanding selection of aperitivi and bitters in a Pantone color swatch spectrum of scarlet, crimson, cardinal, ruby, vermillion and candy apple. But it’s an indisputable truth that most of these bottlings, including newly imported legacy European releases and newer American-born expressions, are standing on the shoulders of Campari, the long-reigning commendatore of red bitters. To earn a place on the backbar, they have to bring something unique to the mixing glass.
“Whenever I try any of the many new aperitivi and bitters out there, I’m always measuring how it plays against or stands apart from Campari,” says Toby Cecchini, co-owner of The Long Island Bar in Brooklyn, New York. “If they’re too close to Campari, but not as good, that’s like doing a cover song, but playing it exactly like the original and that never works. When you’re doing a cover song, you have to completely take it to a different place.”
The list that follows includes both aperitivo and bitter liqueurs. Though the two are often lumped into the same category stateside, in Italy there’s a distinction. But discerning the finer points can be tricky; while most Italians are strong in their beliefs—especially when it comes to food and drink—they also don’t always agree with each other.
Generally, aperitivo liqueurs are lower in ABV, sometimes made with wine (always best to refrigerate your vino aperitivo after opening) and on the sweeter side of bittersweet. I was told by an Italian producer friend to use the European Union vermouth range of 15 to 18 percent ABV when thinking about the former category, but, naturally there are outliers. Aperol, for instance, clocks in at 11 percent ABV. Bitters, meanwhile, are more, well, bitter and typically higher in proof, often falling between 22 to 25 percent ABV, but some climb as high as 30 percent ABV. The fact that many producers use aperitivo and bitters interchangeably (and sometimes even together) on their labels doesn’t help matters.
This variability, though, is also part of the fun of the category. There have always been regional styles of aperitivo and bitter liqueurs across Italy, and now, with the expanded availability of brands varying in color, flavor profile and proof, you can personalize your own at-home aperitivo hour and fine-tune your house spritz based on mood, occasion or the season. To help get started, here are 15 essential aperitivo and bitter liqueurs to look for, plus suggestions on how to use them—an alphabetical lineup of classics, new imports and domestic takes on a category that’s continually worth exploring.