Aperitivo No. 1 Americano
A uniquely New England take on our favorite style of aperitif--americano. Americano is a Northern Italian variant of vermouth which is more heavily bittered and otherwise flavored with botanicals than you'd typically see in a vermouth—we use over 30! Think Campari + vermouth (yes, there’s also a cocktail called an Americano that is exactly this), or if you're familiar with chinato, this is the before dinner version of that digestif.
The result is a killer standalone wine-based cocktail with perfectly balanced woodsy herbaceous notes, bitter, and bright fruity elements. It’s only very lightly naturally sweetened. Even if you're not a fan of most name brand vermouths or bitters, we think we'll win you over with Aperitivo No. 1!
We'd recommend serving over rocks with an orange slice and splash of seltzer for a light, quaffable summer delight. Try two parts Aperitivo No. 1 to one part gin for a killer negroni or to one part bourbon/rye for the boulevardier of your dreams. Try substituting regular vermouth for Aperitivo No. 1 in a Manhattan or substituting for Aperol in a spritz (hint—try our E. leei pet nat) and you'll never go back.
This aperitif is extra special because of its local roots—we worked with Curio spice to source some of the best herbs & spices around, Beaver Pond Distillery to use winemaking leftovers to produce the fortifying spirits, Soney Bees to use raw local honey as the sweetener, and Bully Boy Distillers to add a twist in the aging by using a freshly emptied whiskey barrel. We even highlight native MA botanicals in the recipe (including white pine and wild black cherry)!
A uniquely New England take on our favorite style of aperitif--americano. Americano is a Northern Italian variant of vermouth which is more heavily bittered and otherwise flavored with botanicals than you'd typically see in a vermouth—we use over 30! Think Campari + vermouth (yes, there’s also a cocktail called an Americano that is exactly this), or if you're familiar with chinato, this is the before dinner version of that digestif.
The result is a killer standalone wine-based cocktail with perfectly balanced woodsy herbaceous notes, bitter, and bright fruity elements. It’s only very lightly naturally sweetened. Even if you're not a fan of most name brand vermouths or bitters, we think we'll win you over with Aperitivo No. 1!
We'd recommend serving over rocks with an orange slice and splash of seltzer for a light, quaffable summer delight. Try two parts Aperitivo No. 1 to one part gin for a killer negroni or to one part bourbon/rye for the boulevardier of your dreams. Try substituting regular vermouth for Aperitivo No. 1 in a Manhattan or substituting for Aperol in a spritz (hint—try our E. leei pet nat) and you'll never go back.
This aperitif is extra special because of its local roots—we worked with Curio spice to source some of the best herbs & spices around, Beaver Pond Distillery to use winemaking leftovers to produce the fortifying spirits, Soney Bees to use raw local honey as the sweetener, and Bully Boy Distillers to add a twist in the aging by using a freshly emptied whiskey barrel. We even highlight native MA botanicals in the recipe (including white pine and wild black cherry)!
A uniquely New England take on our favorite style of aperitif--americano. Americano is a Northern Italian variant of vermouth which is more heavily bittered and otherwise flavored with botanicals than you'd typically see in a vermouth—we use over 30! Think Campari + vermouth (yes, there’s also a cocktail called an Americano that is exactly this), or if you're familiar with chinato, this is the before dinner version of that digestif.
The result is a killer standalone wine-based cocktail with perfectly balanced woodsy herbaceous notes, bitter, and bright fruity elements. It’s only very lightly naturally sweetened. Even if you're not a fan of most name brand vermouths or bitters, we think we'll win you over with Aperitivo No. 1!
We'd recommend serving over rocks with an orange slice and splash of seltzer for a light, quaffable summer delight. Try two parts Aperitivo No. 1 to one part gin for a killer negroni or to one part bourbon/rye for the boulevardier of your dreams. Try substituting regular vermouth for Aperitivo No. 1 in a Manhattan or substituting for Aperol in a spritz (hint—try our E. leei pet nat) and you'll never go back.
This aperitif is extra special because of its local roots—we worked with Curio spice to source some of the best herbs & spices around, Beaver Pond Distillery to use winemaking leftovers to produce the fortifying spirits, Soney Bees to use raw local honey as the sweetener, and Bully Boy Distillers to add a twist in the aging by using a freshly emptied whiskey barrel. We even highlight native MA botanicals in the recipe (including white pine and wild black cherry)!
ABV: 17.5%
Bottles Produced: 750 (estimated)
Tasting notes: Negroni, Cherry Cola, Woodsy, Resiny, Nutty, Warming, Bitter, Spiced, Whiskey, Italian Chinotto
Ingredients: A blend of 2023 vintage Marzae red wines from the cellar, grappa/brandy distilled from the leftovers of Marzae’s wine production by Beaver Pond Distillery, local raw honey from Sonney Bees, a blend of Curio Spice Single Origin Spices & Herbs, and a proprietary blend of bitters, citruses, & other traditional botanicals (locally grown or foraged and organic where possible)
Maturation Process: Wine blended, barreled, and aged over the course of three months; Botanicals and honey aged for three weeks in high proof spirit; Amaro blended with sulfited wine and botanicals strained off for an additional month of resting prior to bottling