16 best aperitifs that might just be better than an Aperol Spritz
The warmer weather feels like it's just around the corner and what better way to celebrate than with one of the best pre-dinner aperitifs, Italian-style.
While there's nothing to stop you reaching for your favourite Aperol Spritz, the experts at the Good Housekeeping Institute have found some alternatives to whet your appetite, while still bringing all the sunshine vibes.
Pair yours with the winners of our annual Picnic Food Taste Test for an alfresco feast, or simply enjoy in a sunny garden with family and friends.
Here are our experts' favourites at a glance, but scroll on for their full reviews.
Read on for more expert-approved tipples: Best red wine | Best white wine | Best champagne | Best English sparkling wine | Best prosecco | Best rosé
An aperitif is a (usually alcoholic) drink served before dinner to help awaken the tastebuds. It's also a lifestyle.
Italy's aperitivo hour is a time when people celebrate the end of a long day and catch up with friends before dinner over a refreshing spritz and nibbles, which is a tradition we can whole-heartedly get on board with.
These pre-dinner tipples usually have a bitter edge and are topped up with sparkling wine, a splash of the best tonic waters or soda water. Typically finished with a simple garnish such as an olive or orange slice, they're as simple to mix as your beloved G&T.
Our panel — made up of 10 WSET-accredited experts and consumers — sipped their way through 20 aperitifs, with each served blind to avoid brand bias. The experts were looking for the most refreshing options, with a clean finish and balanced bittersweet profile.Score: 93/100
Like Aperol, this aromatic and floral amaro can be mixed with prosecco and soda on ice for a refreshing aperitif.
Made with a combination of 34 botanicals, testers loved the fresh aromas and flavours of orange and herbs including basil and rosemary finished with a light bitterness. Incredibly well-balanced and natural tasting, it makes the perfect summer aperitif.
£25.75 at thewhiskyexchange.comScore: 86/100
Created using artichokes as a main ingredient, this has delicious alpine aromas with notes of floral medicinal herbs.
Testers felt there was a good level of bitterness, with flavours of burnt caramel and a pleasing, long-lasting sweetness finished with hints of lemon verbena. Another great choice for a spritz or negroni.
£18.95 at thewhiskyexchange.comScore: 83/100
Despite being non-alcoholic, Crodino came out top of our aperitif taste test. Campari's teetotal Italian spritz wowed testers with its well-balanced, bittersweet botanicals and lingering citrus flavour.
To serve, simply pour over a generous amount of ice and pair with antipasti and cheese for a taste of la dolce vita.
£6.00 at amazon.co.ukScore: 79/100
Made from rose essence (which, gram for gram, is more valuable than gold!), Lanique is a pretty pink drink, with the taste of Turkish delight. Aside from rose, you can expect notes of fresh cucumber, lemon verbena, raspberry and aloe vera, with a hint of black pepper.
It's great served with champagne, or with tonic and prosecco, garnished with a cucumber ribbon.
£30.39 at amazon.co.ukScore: 78/100
The iconic Aperol Spritz still proved popular with our panel, with its crowd-pleasing bright orange hue, herbal aniseed flavour and low-key bitterness.
At 11% ABV it's a lovely low-strength option for day-time drinking throughout the summer season. It's very easy to make; all you need to remember is the 3:2:1 method — meaning three parts prosecco, two parts Aperol, and one part soda water. Simple!
£11.00 at amazon.co.ukScore: 78/100
Made with the resin from the Mastic trees grown on the Greek island of Chios, our testers said this had intensely green aromas with notes of cucumber and cut grass.
The flavours were similarly savoury with fermented, yeasty notes. A dry and complex aperitif, this would also work well with food.
£36.25 at thewhiskyexchange.comScore: 77/100
Beesou's wine-based blend is made from British honey, hence its eye-catching yellow hue. Best enjoyed as a spritz, the distinctive flavour has lovely raw honey at its core, pepped up with citrus zest, and festive spice.
What's more, 10% of all profits are donated to the charity, Bees for Development, an organisation working to alleviate poverty through beekeeping.
£26.95 at thewhiskyexchange.comScore: 77/100
Getting rave reviews from drinks professionals and our testers alike, this Italian aperitivo displays a grassy freshness, with menthol, cherry blossom and almond at its heart.
It's super complex, smooth and velvety — and we think a must-have for any bar cart.
£24.99 at amazon.co.ukScore: 77/100
Although similar in many ways to Campari (below), Select has a much gentler ABV (17.5% vs Campari's 25% ABV), which allows for the amaro to 'pop' out of the glass more intensely.
It's the star ingredient in a Venetian spritz, a simple but impactful serve of three parts prosecco, two parts Select and one part soda, served over ice and garnished with a green olive.
£15.20 at amazon.co.ukScore: 76/100
Milano's Campari is the poster girl of Italian aperitivo hour and is one of the most versatile bottles in our drinks collection. With nearly 70 botanicals, it's incredibly complex, with woody spices and smokey bitterness, lifted by citrus notes.
Dry and delicious, a slice of orange is a must, whether served in a sbagliato, or a classic negroni.
£15.50 at amazon.co.ukScore: 76/100
Crisp aromas of fresh orange and lemon sherbet – which some testers found reminiscent of a Marsala sherry – are followed by fresh herbal flavours and zesty citrus for a well-rounded aperitif.
Similar to a white wine but with particularly tart acidity, this is an easy drinking option that would make a great choice for a celebration.
£24.80 at amazon.co.ukScore: 73/100
Not content with Italy having all the fun, Aker has created an English aperitif, made with rosé from English wine producers Chapel Down and homegrown botanicals, including the obligatory wormwood.
The result is Turkish delight syrupy sweetness, with lively summer berries and hints of fresh herbs. Serve with a sprig of mint and a juicy strawberry to garnish.
£35.00 at amazon.co.ukScore: 73/100
With an injection of grapefruit and hibiscus, this Venetian aperitif offers a lovely new layer to the traditional spritz. Testers described it as 'the perfect pre-dinner drink', thanks to a well-balanced combination of tropical fruit and bitter herbs.
£20.95 at thewhiskyexchange.comScore: 71/100
El Bandara has done most of the hard work for us here, with a tipple ready to be served over ice alongside a splash of tonic and a wedge of orange.
The blend of grenache wine with liquorice, mint, rose petals and lemon zest lends a harmonious balance of bittersweet to each sip. Just add tapas for an authentic taste of Spain.
£23.94 at amazon.co.ukScore: 70/100
Fragrant bergamot is a citrus native to southern Italy, and it forms the base for this intriguing liqueur. Other botanicals featured include chamomile, lavender and lemon balm, resulting in a fresh flavour that's similar to Campari, but a little lighter, more floral and sweet.
£30.70 at amazon.co.ukScore: 70/100
Made with a blend of raspberries and rhubarb, Sommer's Yorkshire-made aperitif is sweet and jammy, with a delicious earthy note coming through from the 36 botanicals the fruit is paired with.
And while it's not overly complex, we think it's a crowd-pleasing serve that those with a sweet tooth will enjoy immensely.
£20.25 at thewhiskyexchange.com
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