Aperol Goes Beyond the Spritz

Created in 1919, Aperol is an Italian aperitif comprising sweet and bitter oranges, rhubarb, gentian root, cinchona bark, and other closely guarded ingredients. “Aperol is bright and bracing, but because of its lighter color it’s often overlooked as a bitter component for its more well-known cousin Campari,” notes Laura Unterberg, head bartender at The Fox Bar & Cocktail Club in Nashville. “But the gentian and bitter orange-forward qualities of Aperol make it a great addition to drinks.”

When it comes to pairing whisky with bitter ingredients, the Prohibition-era Boulevardier—a mix of bourbon or rye, Campari, and sweet vermouth—may come to mind, but there’s a modern classic featuring Aperol that deserves attention. The Paper Plane—created in 2007 by New York City mixologists Sasha Petraske and Sam Ross—features bourbon, Aperol, Nonino amaro, and lemon juice. This cocktail shows that Aperol’s sweet orange component matches well with whisky.

“Aperol allows us to explore the tropical, fruit-forward notes that can be found in whisky,” Unterberg says. “At The Fox, we love pairing Aperol with unaged American whiskey. The innate sweetness of a high-corn mashbill with Aperol’s bitter and juicy notes tastes just like a fresh ruby red grapefruit.”

4 Aperol and Whisky Cocktails To Try

TN Paloma
Laura Unterberg

• 1½ oz. George Dickel white corn whiskey
• ½ oz. Aperol
• ¼ oz. Giffard Creme de Fruits de la Passion fruit liqueur
• 2 oz. San Pellegrino limonata

Shake whiskey, Aperol, and passion fruit liqueur with ice. Strain into a Collins glass over fresh ice, top with limonata, and garnish with a dehydrated lemon wheel.

Paper Plane
Sasha Petraske and Sam Ross

• 3/4 oz. bourbon
• 3/4 oz. Aperol
• 3/4 oz. Nonino amaro
• 3/4 oz. fresh lemon juice

Shake all ingredients with ice and strain into a coupe.

Damn Hansel
Casie Fennell, bartender at The Restaurant at Zero George in Charleston, South Carolina

• 1½ oz. Peerless bourbon
• 1 oz. Aperol
• 1 oz. Kahlua coffee liqueur
• 6 drops 20% saline solution

Stir all ingredients with ice, strain into a rocks glass over a large ice cube, and garnish with an orange twist.

Orizuru
Andrew Erickson, head bartender at Culaccino in Franklin, Tennessee

• ¾ oz. Nikka From the Barrel
• ¾ oz. Aperol
• ¾ oz. Heirloom pineapple amaro
• ¾ oz. yuzu juice

Shake all ingredients with ice, then double strain into a coupe and garnish with a dehydrated yuzu or lemon twist.