Aperol Sour

A frothy twist on the Spritz phenomenon, amplifying Aperol's bittersweet character with lemon and egg white in the classic sour format.

Aperol was created in 1919 by brothers Luigi and Silvio Barbieri, who spent seven years perfecting the recipe before debuting it at the Padua International Fair. The liqueur's distinctive deep orange color, low 11% ABV, and bittersweet flavor — built on bitter orange, gentian, rhubarb, and a secret blend of herbs — made it immediately distinctive within the crowded Italian aperitivo category. The Campari Group acquired Aperol in 2003 and transformed it from a regional Italian product into a global phenomenon, primarily through the Aperol Spritz. By the 2010s the orange-and-prosecco cocktail had become one of the most recognized drinks in the world, and Aperol itself ranked as the best-selling spirit in Italy. As bartenders grew more familiar with Aperol's flavor profile, many began exploring its potential beyond the spritz format. The Aperol Sour applies the classic sour template to the liqueur's bitter-citrus architecture, with fresh lemon juice amplifying the orange peel notes and cutting through the sweetness, while egg white builds a foam that carries the scent of the drink before the first sip. The result is a more cocktail-forward expression of Aperol's character — still approachable, but with a structural complexity the spritz format doesn't demand.