Italian Cocktails

Italy has often dictated many of the trends of the day and the same can be said for Italian cocktails. Many of the fashionable drinks from Italy are cocktails with Campari, such as the Negroni, Americano and the Campari Cocktail. Italy is also home to the legendary cocktail joint, Harry`s Bar, the birthplace to the most famous of all Champagne Cocktails, the Bellini, which has several spin-offs, such as the strawberry-flavoured Rossini cocktail. Italy is also the country producing much of the worlds most popular Vermouth, an essential ingredient in the classic Martini. Italy also makes a variety of globally recognised liqueurs, such as Amaretto, Limoncello, Frangelico and Maraschino, all of which are key elements in various popular cocktails. As such, Italy, is regarded as a major capital on the cocktail Map of the World.

Below we take a look at 5 classic Italian Cocktails:

1)Americano

The Americano is one of the legendary Italian cocktails with Campari. It consists of Campari, Sweet Vermouth and a splash of Soda Water. The cocktail was first served in the 1860`s at Garaspare Camparis bar in Milan, Italy. The drink was originally known as the Milano-Torini due to the origin of its 2 main ingredients, Campari came from Milan and Cinzano vermouth came from Torini. Legend has it that the Italians noticed that the drink was very popular among American tourists and hence changed its named to the Americano. The cocktail is also the first drink ordered by James Bond in the novel “Casino Royale”.

 

 

2)Negroni

The Negroni is the next of the iconic Italian cocktails with Campari and  is a popular aperitif cocktail made by mixing Gin, Sweet Red Vermouth and Campari. The drink is usually served in a old fashioned or rocks glass. Legend has it that the drink was created and named after Count Cammillo Negroni in the 1920`s when he ordered an Americano with gin at Café Casoni in Florence, Italy.The bartender also added an orange garnish, instead of the lemon garnish of the Americano, to signify that it was a different drink.

 

3)Godfather

The Godfather is a simple cocktail using the Italian liqueur Amaretto, which is a sweet liqueur made from a base of apricot pits or almonds.

Cocktail Ingredients

37 1/2 ml Scotch Whiskey, 12 1/2 ml Amaretto

How to make a Godfather Cocktail

Build the ingredients in an Old-Fashioned glass with ice cubes. Stir well and serve.

 

4)Rossini

The Rossini cocktail is a popular Italian cocktail usually found at celebrations. It is essentially a variation on the Bellini cocktail and was developed in the mid-20th century. The drinks is made up of strawberries and champagne and the name of the drink pays homage to the composer Gioachino Rossini.

Cocktail Ingredients

37 1/2 ml Strawberry Puree, Top-Up Champagne

How to make a Rossini Cocktail

Add the strawberry puree to the Champagne flute. Top up with Champagne and gently stir.

 

5)Bellini

This most famous of Italian cocktails is a mixture of Prosecco sparkling wine and peach puree and was originally created in the famous Harry`s Bar in Venice.

Legend has it that the name of the drink came about because the colour of the drink reminded the creator and owner of Harry`s Bar, Giuseppe Cipriani, of the colour of a toga of a saint in a painting by 15^th century artist Giovanni Bellini and hence the Bellini Cocktail was born.