Aperol

[cdh]

Had the good fortune to visit the Pegu Club the other night and tried their "Intro to Aperol" cocktail, which was delicious. Something like a twist on the Jasmine, but with the oranginess of the Aperol showcased right up front.

Now my question is: who's the importer, and in what states can it be purchased. Any confirmed sightings in NYC liquor stores yet? The only chance of getting Pennsylvania to pick it up would be if I could tell them who the importer is.

Mmmmmm... Aperol, Campari's orange cousin.

[therese]

Had the good fortune to visit the Pegu Club the other night and tried their "Intro to Aperol" cocktail, which was delicious.  Something like a twist on the Jasmine, but with the oranginess of the Aperol showcased right up front.

Now my question is: who's the importer, and in what states can it be purchased.  Any confirmed sightings in NYC liquor stores yet?  The only chance of getting Pennsylvania to pick it up would be if I could tell them who the importer is.

Mmmmmm... Aperol, Campari's orange cousin.

←

I can't help you with a U.S. source, but here's a picture of a spritz from Venice:

[eje]

Skyy Spirits, LLC. is the importer in CA.

I guess that would be Southern Wine & Spirits, elsewhere in the US?

Be curious to know the formulation of the Aperol cocktail they are serving at Pegu.

~Erik

edit - ask about Pegu cocktail.

Edited May 30, 2006 by eje (log)

[stickyii]

cdh,

Have you had luck getting PA to add items to their SLO list?

[cdh]

I've personally never done the negotiation with PA, but have heard from reliable sources that they are willing to help, if the distributors don't have crazy terms.

[marty mccabe]

Given that it's part of Skyy, and given that Skyy is owned by Campari, there's a lot of pull to make sure it's in every state that those two brands are available in.

It's good, but I appreciate the bitter Campari note more...

Edited May 31, 2006 by marty mccabe (log)

[Sneakeater]

I'm sure everybody cares that the Pegu Club's Intro to Aperol is my favorite new cocktail. Just delicious.

[eje]

I'm sure everybody cares that the Pegu Club's Intro to Aperol is my favorite new cocktail.  Just delicious.

←

Now I'm really curious what's in their cocktail.

One of the liquor stores I frequent knows I am interested in things bitter. I guess he had been trying to get Aperol for years. It has some sort of caché with people who have been to a certain part of Italy? Anyway, based on his enthusiasm, I picked up a bottle a couple months ago when it first became available.

I'll have to give it another try; but, my first few impressions weren't that great. On its own, the orange flavor really reminded me of the chewable children's aspirin of my youth. It didn't have seem to have a fresh, aromatic, orange zest zip.

Anyway, I would be interested in any particularly palatable concoctions with Aperol, since I do have a whole bottle of the stuff.

Off topic a bit, another citrus/gentian based bitter I read about on Gumbopages is called "Suze"*. Has anyone tried that bitter?

~Erik

*I do not recommend doing even a "safe" web image search for "suze", if you are at work. Apparently, there are several adult film stars, who use this particular nom de film.

edit - add comment.

Edited May 31, 2006 by eje (log)

[slkinsey]

Off topic a bit, another citrus/gentian based bitter I read about on Gumbopages is called "Suze"*.  Has anyone tried that bitter?

Suze is very interesting, albeit an acquired taste. To me there is a definite mold or old socks component to the aftertaste, but others don't agree. I have had several cocktails made with Suze at Pegu Club -- the one that sticks in my mind was called a "White Negroni."

*I do not recommend doing even a "safe" web image search for "suze", if you are at work.  Apparently, there are several adult film stars, who use this particular nom de film.

Hee hee hee!

[freshherbs]

Off topic a bit, another citrus/gentian based bitter I read about on Gumbopages is called "Suze"*.  Has anyone tried that bitter?

Suze is very interesting, albeit an acquired taste. To me there is a definite mold or old socks component to the aftertaste, but others don't agree. I have had several cocktails made with Suze at Pegu Club -- the one that sticks in my mind was called a "White Negroni."

*I do not recommend doing even a "safe" web image search for "suze", if you are at work.  Apparently, there are several adult film stars, who use this particular nom de film.

Hee hee hee!

←

I recently acquired a bottle of Gloss de Suze which is a cherry liqueur from France. not sure if it is related to Suze. pretty nice. Alchemist mixed it up for me with some Johnnie Walker Gold and Peychaud's. sublime...

[eje]

This Aperol cocktail wasn't bad. Orangetastic? Orange-R-ific? Probably be quite nice on a hot day. Sort of an orange crush for adults type thing.

2 oz Gin

Juice 1/2 orange

Aperol

Long curly zest of 1/2 orange

soda water

String your circular curly orange zest like you are making a crusta, and fill your glass with crushed ice. Fill half with Aperol. Add gin and Orange Juice to an iced cocktail shaker, and shake to chill. Strain into glass. Top with soda.

[eje]

Sort of an orange crush for adults type thing.

[...]

←

This was enjoyable enough last night it seemed worthwhile to come up with a name. I was thinking of a play on orange smash/crush. How about "Smitten Orange"? Given all the orange torture involved, it seems pretty apropos.

[cigalechanta]

I love Suze and always bring a bottle back, but this month a hotel here in Boston is having an intro to Aperol at a hotel.

[Snowy is dead]

I saw aperol at the Astor Wine and Spirits shop. 399 Lafayett at 4th st. (212) 674-7500. They also had velvet falernum. I think the aperol was about $22, but I'm not sure.

edit to add:

astorwines.com

Edited June 8, 2006 by Snowy is dead (log)

[cdh]

Got a bottle at Astor over the weekend. Can't wait to play with it. Came in just short of $20.

Edited June 12, 2006 by cdh (log)

[KatieLoeb]

I stumbled across a bottle of Aperol today in a liquor store in North Cape May, NJ and simply had to buy it. I have no idea what I'll do with it yet, but will report back any inspirations in the Drinks or New Cocktail Creations threads.

[Snowy is dead]

In Massachusetts it is availiable, I think from United, owned by southern wine and spirits. Someone told me in the North End that Aperol was unavailiable here for about 12 years then recently came back. Several bars in Boston feature it on the cocktail list now, so it should stick around this time.

[The Hersch]

Pearson's has it in Washington DC. I haven't seen it anywhere else in town, but haven't really been looking.

[jmfangio]

I just tried this for the first time last night at Mario Batali and Nancy Silverton's new restaurant, Osteria Mozza, and loved it so much that I went and picked up a bottle this afternoon. I had it in a spritzer with Aperol, Plymouth gin, lemon juice, a dash of simple syrup, and topped with club soda. I must recreate this drink at home, and my mind is racing with all sorts of other possibilities.

[mbrowley]

I'm reminded of the old WC Fields line that the cost of living has gone up another dollar a quart.

Since there's a BevMo about a mile from the office and I've seen the Aperol there enough times to know that they have about seven bottles in stock, lunch once more is going to run about $22/750ml.

Yeah, they know me there.

Aperol at BevMo

Aperol's website also lists recipes...

[Nathan]

Does anyone have the recipe for "Intro to Aperol"? A friend of mine loves the cocktail and my reverse engineering has so far been "close but no cigar"....

[KLwood]

Does anyone have the recipe for "Intro to Aperol"?  A friend of mine loves the cocktail and my reverse engineering has so far been "close but no cigar"....

←

Yup,

In case you cant make out my drunken scrawl, its

2 oz. Aperol

1 oz. Beefeater Gin

3/4 oz. Lemon Juice

Dash of Angostura Bitters

- dictated by the bartender at Pegu Club, and safely crammed in my wallet until now, and its my favorite drink for now also, but that may change after I hit Tailor this weekend .

[slkinsey]

There's a scant 1/4 ounce of 1:1 simple in there as well, I think.

[Chris Amirault]

I think Sam's right -- and I think that's a fine cocktail.

[Nathan]

awesome! thanks much folks!

I'd bet on a little simple....my attempts at reverse engineering all came out a little bitter or tart compared to the original.