Aperitif Cocktails

69 recipes, including Red Mimosa, Wine & Tonic, Caiperol.

69 drinks to serve before dinner.

Red Mimosa — A twist on the brunch classic that swaps sparkling wine for the acidity or sweetness of red wine.
Wine & Tonic — A wine take on the classic highball, all about aromatics.
Caiperol — Brazilian caipirinha technique meets the Italian aperitivo.
Aperol Vodka Spritz — A take on the Italian spritz that pairs vodka and orange juice with the bitterness of Aperol.
Brazilian Negroni — A Negroni twist with cachaça, sweet red vermouth, and Cynar.
Filho do Geraldo — A take on the classic Fitzgerald with cachaça and a half-mixed aromatic bitters float.
Macunaíma — A white cachaça cocktail with honey syrup and Fernet, served up.
Caipirinha Spritz — A classic caipirinha topped with sparkling wine, stirred gently to keep the bubbles.
Aperol Citrus — A casual build of Aperol and citrus soda in a highball glass.
Aperol Sour — An Aperol sour with egg white and drops of bitters on the foam.
Fitzgerald (Classic) — A classic sour of gin, lemon, and aromatic bitters, double strained.
Limoncello Spritz — A citrusy spritz of limoncello and sparkling wine, finished with lime wheels.
Solstício — A bridge for palates not yet used to Negroni-level bitterness, with Aperol, caramel vodka, and honey syrup.
Orange Spritz — Built right in the glass and refreshing: vodka, orange juice, and Laranja Spritz syrup, topped with sparkling water.
Balanced Negroni — A riff on the classic with more gin and less Campari and vermouth, stirred to put the spirit up front.
Rabo de Galo — A stirred Brazilian classic: cachaça, sweet vermouth, and Cynar.
Aperol Tonic — An Aperol highball topped with tonic or sparkling water, garnished with orange and tangerine foam.
Garibaldi — An Italian classic of Campari and fresh orange juice: built in the glass or with aerated juice for a velvety texture.
Americano — The Negroni's predecessor: Campari and sweet red vermouth lengthened with soda water, built over plenty of ice.
Campari Sour — A full-bodied Campari sour with a dry shake, egg white, and drops of Angostura on the foam.
Campareto — A light highball of Campari lengthened with Limoneto and lemon slices.
Campari Tonic — A refreshing highball of Campari lengthened with tonic, finished with navel orange slices.
Camparinha — A caipirinha that pairs Campari's bitterness with cachaça, with gently muddled lime.
La Sicília — A gin smash with pear-infused gin, green grapes, and basil, double strained.
Vodka Martini — A stirred classic of vodka and dry vermouth, served ice-cold up, with a lime twist.
Negroni Sour — The equal-parts Italian classic, shaken with lime, syrup, and egg white.
Garganta — A cachaça sour with muddled ginger, honey syrup, and triple sec, finished with loosely mixed aromatic bitters.
Orvalho — A pale spritz of vodka and dry white wine, with lemon and thyme.
Negroni — Equal-parts Italian classic: gin, Campari, and sweet red vermouth, stirred in a rocks glass.
Cosmopolitan — Shaken classic of vodka, orange liqueur, lime, and cranberry juice, served up.
Dry Martini — Stirred classic of gin and dry vermouth, ice-cold in the glass, with a lemon twist or an olive.
Aperol Spritz — Italian 3-2-1 classic: prosecco, Aperol, and soda water, served in a wine glass with an orange slice.
Hugo Spritz — Floral spritz of elderflower liqueur, prosecco, soda water, and mint.
Ancoradouro — Rum highball with Cynar and orange juice, lengthened with soda water.
Carmim — Red wine spritz with limoncello and orange juice, lengthened with soda water.
French 75 — IBA classic of gin, lemon, and syrup, topped with champagne in a flute.
Coffee Negroni — A Negroni riff with coffee liqueur, less vermouth, and navel orange peel.
Aperol Limoncello Punch — Long punch of Aperol, limoncello, and vodka, topped with orange juice.
Negroni Sbagliato — The "mistaken" Negroni: Campari and sweet red vermouth lengthened with prosecco in place of gin.
90's Brasileiro — A stirred drink of cachaça, sweet red vermouth, Cynar, and brigadeiro syrup in equal parts, in a rocks glass.
Jaboo Spritz — Spritz of jabuticaba liqueur and brut sparkling wine, brightened with a touch of lemon.
Jaboo Negroni — An inverted Negroni: jabuticaba liqueur in place of vermouth, with small pours of gin and Campari and a tangerine twist.
Gimlet — Classic of gin and lime, shaken and served ice-cold in a coupe, no ice.
Bellini — Brunch classic: prosecco and peach purée, served in a chilled flute.
Bitter Giuseppe — Stirred drink of Cynar and sweet red vermouth, with orange bitters and a touch of lemon.
Siesta — Blanco tequila sour with Campari, grapefruit, and lime, served up.
Kir Royal — French aperitif: crème de cassis in the bottom of a flute, topped with brut sparkling wine.
Enzoni — A Negroni that met a sour: gin and Campari shaken with grapes, lemon, and syrup, over a big cube.
Coffee Enzoni — A dark Enzoni: gin, Campari, and coffee liqueur shaken with black grapes and lemon.
White Lady — IBA classic of gin, triple sec, and lemon, shaken and served up.
Desk Job — Equal-parts stirred drink: two rums, Punt e Mes, and Cynar, in a rocks glass with a rock and a lime twist.
Cosmonaut — Gin sour with raspberry jam in place of syrup, shaken and served up.
Hemingway Daiquiri — El Floridita dry daiquiri: white rum with grapefruit and maraschino, no sugar, in a chilled glass.
Air Mail — Classic of gold rum, lime, and honey syrup, topped with sparkling wine in a flute.
Dry Daiquiri — Short daiquiri of white rum with Campari, lime, and a dash of passion fruit syrup.
Pink Pony Club — Gin sour with strawberry syrup, lemon, and a touch of Campari, in a chilled glass.
Ouro de Tolo — Cynar sour with honey syrup, lime, and basil, egg white for foam in a rocks glass.
Martinez — Ancestor of the Dry Martini: gin, sweet red vermouth, maraschino liqueur, and orange bitters, stirred and served up.
Rosita — Tequila Negroni: reposado or blanco, Campari, sweet and dry vermouth, dash of Angostura.
Champagne Cocktail — Jerry Thomas classic: a sugar cube soaked in Angostura, topped with brut sparkling wine.
Italian Buck — Buck of Cynar and Amaro Montenegro with ginger syrup, lime, and ginger beer.
Cherry Amaretto Negroni — Equal-parts Negroni with cherry liqueur, amaretto, and Punt e Mes, stirred over a big cube.
Hanky Panky — Ada Coleman's stirred classic: gin, sweet red vermouth, and Fernet, served up chilled, with orange peel.
Adonis — Classic stirred aperitif of sherry, sweet red vermouth, and orange bitters, in a coupe.
Old Cuban — Modern classic of gold rum, mint, lime, and Angostura, topped with sparkling wine in a coupe.
Vesper — Bond's classic: gin, vodka, and Cocchi Americano (or Lillet Blanc), stirred and served up.
Bicicletta — Milanese aperitif of Campari, dry white wine, and soda water, in a highball.
Velvet Pear Sour — Pear-infused gin sour with lemon and egg white, dry-shaken and double-strained into a coupe.
Golden Pear Honey Sour — Pear-infused gin sour with honey syrup and lemon, double-strained into a coupe.