About this liqueur

In 1860 Gaspare Campari created his red bitter in Novara, before taking it to Milan, where the family's Camparino bar in the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II is still a landmark of the city's aperitivo culture. The recipe, an infusion of herbs, aromatic plants and fruit, remains a secret. Campari's place in cocktail history was sealed in Florence in 1919, when Count Camillo Negroni asked for his Americano with gin in place of soda, and the Negroni was born.

In the glass Campari is a brilliant, clear red. The aroma is complex, with herbal, orange and floral notes; the palate is boldly bitter, with orange, herbs and wood, and a smooth, velvety finish. It is a must for anyone serious about a home bar: the Negroni, the Boulevardier and the Americano all depend on it. For the curious, a simple Campari and soda or Campari with fresh orange juice is the best introduction.

Key facts

• Created by Gaspare Campari in 1860, in Novara near Milan
• Secret recipe of herbs, spices, fruit and bark gives its vivid red colour and bitter taste
• Essential ingredient of the Negroni, born in Florence in 1919, and the Americano
• The Camparino in Galleria in Milan remains a symbol of the Milanese aperitivo

Tasting notes

Nose:

complex herbs, bitter orange and floral notes

Palate:

assertively bitter with orange peel, herbs and wood

Finish:

long, smooth and velvety

Serve

Negroni: 30 ml Campari, 30 ml gin, 30 ml sweet vermouth, stirred over ice, garnished with an orange slice. Or simply Campari and soda over ice.

Food pairing

Pairs well with salty aperitivo snacks such as olives, salami and parmesan, and with crisp fish finger or spicy prawn pakoras.