Italy is known for its renowned wines and also boasts of various tempting cocktails. Whether you are a cocktail hater or lover, if you try Italian cocktails even once, you are surely going to start appreciating them. Make your Italy trip fruitful with the addition of varieties of exotic drinks in your cocktail menu.
Italians love Amaro, Grappa, Campari, Sambuca, and Amaretto. Amaro is an herbal liqueur with bitter-sweet flavor and is widely used as a digestif. Grappa is a pomace brandy that is made by distillation of leftover stems, seeds, pulp and skin of grapes. Campari is a red color liqueur with a strong bittersweet flavor. Lastly, Sambuca is a colorless liqueur with anise flavor, and Amaretto is a sweet Italian liqueur that is flavored with almonds or apricot.
Here we are discussing some delicious Italian cocktails that are flavorful and perfect for a celebration or any day throughout the year.
Americano
This classic cocktail is a fizzy and delightful aperitif. When you want to stimulate your appetite, then this drink is a great option. It was first served in a bar during the 1860s and later grew in popularity. Being an exciting cocktail it brings together Campri, a dash of soda water and sweet vermouth. It is served in a highball glass with lots of crushed ice.
Bruschetta Pizzaiola, Grilled Salad, Chicken Parmesan Sticks, Tomato Tart enhance the flavor of your cocktail.
Aperol Spritz
Now enjoy the summer months with this delicious cocktail. It is perfect for a bright day under the hot sun. This drink is a variation of the classic Americano recipe that involves Aperol rather than Campari. Use of Aperol gives the orange color and makes the drink slightly sweeter with a little alcohol content. It is served in a balloon or Collins glass.
If you are fond of sweeter drinks, then increase the quantity of Aperol. Enjoy it with your favorite snacks, and you will go for the next round for sure.
Angelo Azzurro
If you are planning for a party or a vacation in Italy, then we have a special drink for you that will entice you to take a sip or two.
Celebrate the evening after a bright sunny day with this blue color cocktail that is also named a blue angel. This is a stiff drink that is often considered as the variation of Blue Lagoon cocktail. It tastes delicious and looks lovely. This drink brings together the balanced flavors of Cointreau, Limoncello, Gin, and Sweet Vermouth.
The Garibaldi
Named after the General who helped to liberate Italy, it is found in almost every Italian cocktail menu. It is the famous brunch cocktail that includes Campari freshly squeezed orange juice and sugar syrup. The recipe is simple and great for imbibing during the sunset. We can say it’s a refreshing simplicity in the glass. Enjoy this cocktail and get the happy hour to treat all year round.
Hugo
Want to relax after an exhaustive hot day? Well, Hugo will do the work and take you to the blooming sky, and make you feel cheerful in no time. The simple and delicious drink combines elderflower cordial with a dash of soda water and sparkling white wine. The subtle flavors make the drink fantastic. It is one of the best Italian alcoholic mixtures that are perfect for summer. Pizza, Chicken, tomato tart, Fried zucchini blossoms go well with this flavorful drink.
Pirlo
It is the variation of the Aperol Spritz. Campari swirls to the bottom of the glass through the white wine, and this amalgamation method gives a name to this exotic cocktail. Balanced flavors of Campari, white wine and sparkling water make this drink flavorful.
You can enjoy Pirlo with tuna sandwiches, rolls with bacon and sausages, the classic bread and salami, croutons, shrimp skewers with paprika, Cantonese rice, and sweet and sour seitan.
Bellini
If you love ripe and sweet peaches, then you are going to love this drink. The combination is simple yet delectable. The balanced flavor of peach juice with fizz is fantastic. This cocktail is perfect for every occasion whether it is a dinner party or a summer get-together. It involves peach puree and white wine.
If you like sweet drinks then add sugar accordingly, otherwise, peaches have their natural sweetness that makes the drink sweet enough. It is recommended to use fresh puree as it greatly varies the taste of this cocktail.
Negroni
Negroni is a combination of simplicity and balance. This Italian charmer is present everywhere in Italy. Although it may look sweet, it has a bitter alcohol taste and strong enough with no syrup mask. Drink this cocktail before a heavy meal and feel the difference.
The ingredients include gin, sweet vermouth, and Campari. You will get a sweet, dry, bitter taste in a single cocktail. This carmine-colored drink has a great reputation as a summer mainstay. You can pair this cocktail with cheesy snacks.
Rossini
This is a delicious take on the Bellini, here strawberries are used in place of peaches, and white wine is replaced by champagne. This versatile drink is served at brunch, with dessert or as an aperitif.
It is recommended to use fresh strawberries. Muddle them with a spoon instead of the blender as it will destroy the delicate flavor of strawberries. This drink tastes great without any extra sugar as these berries have their natural sweetness. You can enjoy it mainly with chicken and fish. Dishes such as fish balls, fried chicken, orange chicken, salt-crusted sea bass and mixed paella are perfect to pair with this awesome cocktail.
Puccini
Puccini is winter-appropriate take on the famous cocktail Bellini same as Rossini. But here this cocktail substitutes the strawberry puree and peach puree for mandarin juice. As you know, mandarin is small wintertime orange which is stronger and sweeter than their bigger cousin. Add mandarin juice and then pour white wine just before serving to make this fizzy cocktail. It looks beautiful in flutes.
We can say that Italian cocktails are delicious and can be enjoyed all the year-round. These drinks are perfect for summers when there is a rise in temperature and humidity sets in the atmosphere. So the next time when you want to beat the heat then try any of the Italian cocktails and cool down. Each drink hails from a particular region and has its traditional value. So whether you are planning to visit Italy or thinking of a get-together, this cocktail will do their work!