When it comes to cocktail ingredients, Italy’s contribution is both significant and wide ranging, even if the past few years have been dominated by just a few high-profile serves and the handful of brands associated with these. But with the Spritz now on every cocktail list, and the aperitivo moment an international occurrence, there are those who are discovering the broader potential of these products, for aperitivo hour and beyond.

Compared to their brightly-coloured bitter siblings such as Campari and Aperol, the amaro category is arguably underappreciated, although that may be changing.

“There are so many different styles, each with unique flavours and character – they can be used in stirred-down drinks to bring spice and bitter complexity, or in lighter, more refreshing serves,” says Marco Meloni, bar manager at Nomad London.

“Amari have carved out a place in modern cocktail bars, especially in the US and UK, and are now rapidly gaining popularity in more traditional markets such as Italy, France and Spain,” says Giuseppe Gallo, founder and chief executive of ItalSpirits, the company behind relatively new entrants Italicus Rosolio di Bergamotto and Savoia Vino Aperitivo. “All the Italian classics remain essential – from the Negroni to the Americano, Sbagliato and Garibaldi.”

Andrea Neri, managing director for House of Aperitifs at Campari Group, also points out the importance of cocktails beyond the Spritz. “Classics like the Negroni and Americano remain essential to the bitters and amari category, and they continue to perform well globally.”

For some brands, it’s been a conscious departure from the traditional amaro serve.

“Mixology is becoming increasingly important for Amaro Lucano, both as a driver of additional volume compared to traditional neat consumption, and as a way to position the brand in a more modern and youthful way,” says Valentina Garatti, marketing manager for Amaro Lucano. “That said, the vast majority of our volume is still linked to traditional consumption, served neat as a digestif after dinner.”

Matthijs van Zanten, global marketing & brand development director of Gruppo Caffo, producer of Vecchio Amaro del Capo, adds: “The ice-cold shot at -20°C remains our iconic serve, but cocktails and mixed drinks are increasingly important – especially in markets where consumers are still discovering amari. We’re seeing a clear rise in bartender interest in amaro – it’s no longer just a digestivo, but rather becoming part of the modern cocktail language, featured in both bold signature cocktails and low-abv formats.”

Fabio Giuseppe Parziano, chief executive of Agrosan Sicilia, agrees. “From Highballs to Spritzes, our Amaro dell’Etna is becoming an increasingly popular ingredient with mixologists,” he says. “While I always believe that our amaro is best enjoyed neat or over ice, our flavour profile certainly lends itself to a wide variety of cocktails.”

“Amaro is still mostly consumed neat in Italy, as a digestive, however internationally they are being embraced as versatile cocktail ingredients, especially to twist classics like the Negroni, Old Fashioned or Manhattan,” confirms Pallini president Micaela Pallini.

For Amaro Nonino, being included in contemporary classic cocktail the Paper Plane is evidence of the category’s versatility. “Serving these in cocktails enhances them, allowing new customers to discover the category, which is why we’ve devoted ourselves to cocktails since 2007,” says Antonella Nonino, board member of Nonino Distillatori.

Another amaro placing an emphasis on its mixability is Montenegro. “Our promotion efforts are focused both on classic cocktail serves, where our brands are already well established, and on innovative, contemporary formats that reflect evolving trends,” says a spokesperson for the brand, highlighting Montenegro’s cocktail competition The Vero Bartender 2025. “We believe it’s key to keep in touch with the bartending community, see how the brand can be used, and evolve through their creativity.”

For Fernet-Branca, being mixed is nothing new. “We’ve found Fernet-Branca used in cocktail recipes dating back to around 1896, and possibly even earlier,” says Branca Distillery’s global head of advocacy, Nicola Olianas. “Amari in general, and Fernet in particular, do something special – they set the boundaries of a drink, defining flavour, structure and dimension.”

The ubiquitous spritz

Meanwhile, the Aperol Spritz, and the eponymous brand behind it, remains the poster child for cocktail-related brand success in recent years – amid bright-orange terraces and eye-catching merch. “The rise of the Spritz in the early 2000s quite literally saved the bitter aperitif category, transforming it into one of the fastest-growing segments in the spirits industry today,” says Gallo.

For Campari Group’s Neri, the brand that started it all remains at the forefront. “The Spritz remains the hero serve for the aperitif category and continues to be a key growth engine for Aperol,” he says.

That said, almost as soon as the Spritz began to take off, and Aperol with it, there were competitor products and, increasingly, adjacent serves based on different categories such as limoncello, all after a slice of the pie.

“Yes, the Spritz occasion is evolving,” says Neri. “While Aperol leads, we have expanded our portfolio to include Campari Spritz for bitter lovers, Cynar Spritz for those seeking complexity, Sarti Rosa for fruity tastes, and Crodino Spritz for non-alcoholic moments. This diversity allows us to meet a wider range of tastes and occasions.”

Historic brand Select, part of Gruppo Montenegro, has a more legitimate claim to the Spritz than most, arguably predating Aperol’s, and the serve remains a focus. “The Spritz continues to be a key driver for the aperitivo category,” says the company’s spokesperson. “Consumers are increasingly curious and open to exploring more authentic, bitter-forward drinks, which is why this continues to be fundamental territory for us with Select.”

Amaro Santoni recently aligned itself with the serve through its Aperitivo Week in London, creating an aperitivo menu with on-trade accounts throughout the city. “Bartenders are rethinking the Spritz. The familiar mix of bitter liqueur, sparkling wine and soda remains a staple, but there’s growing interest in lighter, more refined Spritzes,” says the brand’s managing partner Luca Missaglia.

Among those Italian companies joining in on the action is Agrosan Sicilia. “Last year, we introduced another product, Etna Spritz, a Sicilian Blood Orange liqueur created specifically for Spritzes,” says Parziano.

Meanwhile, it’s not just traditional bitter-style drinks, but amaro brands that are enjoying success with the serve too. “People are interested in discovering new spirits that could be used as the principal ingredient in a Spritz,” says Nonino, reporting that Nonino Quintessentia is enjoyed this way.

Amaro del Capo is finding its way into the serve too. “It’s increasingly embraced by forward-thinking bartenders who want to elevate and differentiate their Spritz offerings,” says Van Zanten.

This is all part of the broader evolution of the Spritz in recent times. “It used to stick to the classic combo of Aperol, prosecco, and soda, but now we’re seeing way more playful and creative takes,” says Meloni at Nomad London. “From re-carbonated leftover champagne to house-made wines, the Spritz is definitely having a modern moment, and it totally deserves a spot on any world-class bar menu.”

At Press Club in Washington DC, however, there are signs that the serve’s dominance may be waning. “We’ve actually seen a decline in the popularity of the Spritz outside of its natural patio habitat – although the number one call for a Spritz is still with Aperol,” says co-founder Will Patton, who notes a rise in other effervescent cocktails such as the French 75.

All the while, other liqueurs are making a bid for the Spritz. “Bitter is not always an easy taste for consumers to acquire, which is why we’re seeing citrus-style liqueurs gaining ground,” says Gallo, referring both to his Italicus Rosolio di Bergamotto and the growth in popularity of the limoncello version of the popular serve.

Pallini agrees: “Consumers are increasingly looking for alternatives to the traditional Aperol or bitter-based Spritz. We are seeing significant growth in Limoncello Spritz and Hugo Spritz, intensifying competition in the category.”

The fifty-fifty

While other liqueurs eye the Spritz, the amaro category is enjoying a boost, however small, from an unexpected quarter – the rise of the 50/50 shot. In the US in particular, there’s a growing trend for cleverly named serves of amaro paired in equal parts with a spirit. Among the most prominent is the Montenegro and mezcal, or M&M.

“It’s an exciting and promising trend for us internationally. The M&M has quickly become a bartender handshake across the US, helping with overall category awareness and brand discovery, especially among younger, adventurous consumers,” says Montenegro’s spokesperson.

Patton at Press Club is the co-inventor of the Smoke & Choke, a mix of Cynar and mezcal. “We love a 50/50 shot. I think they've had a positive impact as a fun way of introducing guests to different products or expressions.”

“Any time a cocktail or shot includes amaro, it’s great for introducing the category to consumers who may otherwise not have tried it,” agrees Parziano.

“It’s a really smart way of introducing consumers to amaro and aperitifs, in a relaxed and accessible format, and for us it opens the door to creative collaborations with bartenders,” adds Missaglia.

Branca’s Olianas sees these as the successor to the arguably less-sophisticated shots that came before them.

“When I first encountered the Ferrari in the US, that simple 50/50 of Fernet-Branca and Campari, I realised these drinks had just evolved – the same idea, but with better bones, more intention, and higher-quality ingredients, creating shots that are brief, but intense.”

He believes the rise of the 50/50 shot reflects contemporary drinking trends. “Today’s drinkers care about what’s in the glass. They want flavour, balance and identity, even in a 50ml serve.”