Cocchi Americano
origin: Italy
abv: 16.5%
average price: $20 for 750 mL
details: This aperitif has been produced in Italy since 1891. It is based on an all-natural recipe containing white wine, sugar, and booze-soaked herbs and spices, which include Artemisia flowers, gentian roots, and peels of bitter orange. Small batches of wine are spiced and then left to age for a minimum of one year. This style of aperitif wine has long been a staple of Asti, and is now an important ingredient in numerous cocktails including James Bond’s Vesper (one of our absolute favorites).
Skip Lillet and enjoy Cocchi Americano in your cocktail, especially if you’re mixing a Vesper. This liqueur enhances citrus notes, so keep that in mind when you’re mixing a cocktail… and when you’re garnishing. Keep it stocked in your bar and you’ll discover all sorts of uses for it. Or pour it over ice and serve with a slice of citrus like they do in Italy.