The Aperol is sort of like a French 75, and it’s sort of like an Aperol Spritz. The best of both worlds, I say! It also nixes any lemon juice that you would find in a traditional French 75, which really helps the Aperol take the lead in terms of flavor here.

Aperol is the gentler, softer cousin to Campari. It’s also an Italian apéritif, like Campari, designed to get your taste buds ready for dinner. But Aperol is much less bitter, and the undertones of rhubarb and orange really come through. Sort of like an introduction to Campari, still gorgeous, still bitter, but in a much more likable way.

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The Aperol 75 Gin Cocktail

This bitter-ish take uses Aperol and bubbles with gin to create a lovely apéritif, the Aperol 75.

Ingredients

1 Oz. Gin
1 Oz. Aperol
4 Oz. Prosecco to be super-Italian here.

Instructions

You can make this cocktail right in your glass!
Add your gin to your glass, followed by your Aperol.
Top with Prosecco or your choice of bubbles.
Garnish with orange peel to enhance that orange tones of Aperol.

Notes about the Aperol 75.

We made this drink in a smaller cocktail glass instead of a taller champagne glass, so we cut the proportions by half. All of the flavor, just a smidge less volume. This may come in handy if you are going all out on the Italian-ness of this drink. First apéritif, then dinner with wine, then a dessert drink.

You could add some fruit juice to this drink to make it more 75-ish. Might I suggest grapefruit? It’s pretty amazing with Aperol and adds it’s own uniqueness. I haven’t yet tried Aperol with lemon, so I can’t give you any suggestions there. It may or may not suit you!

Aperol 75 - with Prosecco — Made better with bubbles!

Also note that Aperol has less alcohol than Campari, but this drink still packs a punch with gin and Prosecco. Or whatever bubbles you happen to have. Pace yourself!

Use orange peel as your garnish here. This adds just the mildest hint of citrus and really picks up on the Aperol flavors.