I tried supermarket Aperol dupes – my £7 winner tastes exactly the same and makes the perfect summer cocktail
IF there's one drink that embodies summer, it's the Aperol Spritz.
And with temperatures set to soar in the UK, now is the time to pour yourself a tangy, crisp and refreshing, tangerine-tinted aperitif.
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A bottle of the original tipple will now set you back around £18 depending on where you shop.
So, of course, the high-price tag has prompted some supermarkets to introduce their own, cheaper versions.
But are they going to hit the spot on a sunny day?
Aperol Aperitivo Italian Spritz (70cl)
£17.65, ocado.com
ABV: 11 per cent
At nearly £18, this market-leading aperitif is the priciest on my list but if you stick to the recommended measurements you will get 20 servings out of it, so I still didn't think it was too bad in terms of value for money.
It has that distinctive luminous orange colour and I very much enjoyed my tipple.
It has a more natural and herbaceous taste than some of the ' dupes ', which I enjoyed.
Worth mentioning also that it's fairly low on booze with an ABV of 11 per cent.
Fragrant and moreish - but surprisingly, it wasn't my favourite.
Taste: 5/5
Value: 3/5
Overall score: 8/10
Sainsbury's Taste the Difference Orange Spritz Aperitif (75cl)
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ABV: 8 per cent
£6.50, sainsburys.co.uk
Light and easy to drink, I found this refreshing and very easy to knock back on a summer 's day.
I tested all the supermarket Aperol knock-offs and the best was a THIRD of the price of real thing
It was much fizzier than the big brand and whilst I enjoyed the taste, it did have a slightly bitter aftertaste.
It's not as boozy as the original but it's over £11 cheaper so a very wallet-friendly tipple AND a bigger bottle."
Lidl Bitterol (70cl)
£6.99, lidl.co.uk
ABV: 11 per cent
An almost exact copy of the original Aperol.
It has the same glowing, blood-orange huge and a same 11ABV.
Made up into the classic Spritz cocktail, the taste really hits the spot, with the familiar rhubarb, fruity and woody notes that sit somewhere between sweet and sharp in the glass.
Served over ice with prosecco and soda, it's really hard to tell the difference between this and the original - except at the till where it's less than half the price.
Definitely worth stocking up for summer.
Taste: 5/5
Value: 5/5
Overall score: 10/10
Aldi Aperini Aperitivo Spritz (75cl)
£4.29, aldi.co.uk
ABV: 6.9 per cent
One sip of this and I very nearly thought I was drinking the real deal.
It's not as boozy with a low 6.9 ABV and the orange colour is much lighter.
It was quite sugary and the texture was a little more syrupy than the others.
But it had the full and vibrant taste of the branded drink. Loved the bursts of citrus and rhubarb. It's only a little over £4 - amazing value.
Taste: 4/5
Value: 5/5
Overall score: 9/10
Casa Savoia Americano Rosso (50cl)
£22.25, masterofmalt.com
ABV: 18.6 per cent
It's more expensive than the original but this comes in a super pretty bottle and would make a lovely gift.
It's mixed so you only need to add the prosecco and ice to make your aperitif. It can also be used to make negronis if you prefer.
The bitter sweet flavours are perfectly balanced with notes of bitter orange, cassia, cinnamon, rhubarb and a whole host of other botanicals.
Really enjoyed this and nice that it's so versatile. It's not a big bottle and I definitely would have liked more of it.
Taste: 5/5
Value: 3/5
Overall score: 8/10
M&S Low Alcohol Aperitivo (50cl)
£13, ocado.com
ABV: 0.5 per cent
For a low alcohol alternative, I really enjoyed this. It had subtle flavours of juniper, pink pepper, coriander, cinnamon and lavender.
The flavours were quite smoky and it wasn't overly sweet like many of the low alcohol drinks on offer.
Refreshing, with a hint of vanilla. Loved this with soda or low-alcohol Prosecco.
Taste: 3/5
Value: 3/5
Overall score: 6/10
Tesco Spritzi Aperitivo Blood Orange (75cl)
£5, tesco.com
ABV: 8.4 per cent
A zesty white wine-based drink which is pre-mixed so you don't have the faff of mixing it up on your own.
It's quite aromatic with floral notes but more subtle in flavour than the Aperol.
It was missing a bit of juiciness and a bit of punch and I thought it tasted artificially sweet.
A good price at Tesco though and a decent helping of booze.
Taste: 3/5
Value: 4/5
Overall score: 7/10
How to bag a bargain
SUN Savers Editor Lana Clements explains how to find a cut-price item and bag a bargain…
Sign up to loyalty schemes of the brands that you regularly shop with.
Big names regularly offer discounts or special lower prices for members, among other perks.
Sales are when you can pick up a real steal.
Retailers usually have periodic promotions that tie into payday at the end of the month or Bank Holiday weekends, so keep a lookout and shop when these deals are on.
Sign up to mailing lists and you'll also be first to know of special offers. It can be worth following retailers on social media too.
When buying online, always do a search for money off codes or vouchers that you can use vouchercodes.co.uk and myvouchercodes.co.uk are just two sites that round up promotions by retailer.
Scanner apps are useful to have on your phone. Trolley.co.uk app has a scanner that you can use to compare prices on branded items when out shopping.
Bargain hunters can also use B&M's scanner in the app to find discounts in-store before staff have marked them out.
And always check if you can get cashback before paying which in effect means you'll get some of your money back or a discount on the item.
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