Campari Bitters

Campari is best experienced in cocktails that balance its bitter gentian root, rhubarb, orange peel, and herbal character rather than consumed neat, where the concentrated bitterness and 25% ABV can be challenging without structure. The Negroni, equal parts Campari, gin, and sweet vermouth, is the gold standard application. A Campari Spritz with Prosecco and soda is more accessible. Neat over a large ice cube with a wide orange peel expressed over the glass is the most honest format for assessing the spirit directly.

The simplest and most revealing Campari drink is a Campari Soda in the traditional Italian format: 50ml Campari over ice in a rocks glass, topped with cold San Pellegrino Soda Water and garnished with a half wheel of orange. For a more structured cocktail, a Negroni combines 30ml each of Campari, dry gin, and sweet vermouth stirred over ice and strained into a chilled glass. The Americano replaces the gin with soda water for a lower ABV alternative.

On the nose: bitter orange peel, dried rhubarb, and a medicinal herbal intensity. On the palate: vivid bitter cherry, gentian root, clove, and anise with a pronounced, persistent bitterness. The finish lingers with herbal, citrus rind, and a warm alcohol note. The flavour formula has remained unchanged since Gaspare Campari created it in Milan in 1860, though the use of carmine dye as colourant was replaced with artificial colouring in 2006.

Campari is an Italian bitter liqueur produced in Sesto San Giovanni near Milan, bottled at 25% ABV. It is made from an infusion of herbs, plants, and fruit in alcohol and water, with a recipe that has remained proprietary since Gaspare Campari created it in 1860. The distinctive red colour was originally derived from carmine, a dye made from crushed insects; the formula was changed to artificial colouring in 2006. It is the defining component of the Negroni and Americano cocktails.

The full recipe is proprietary. The declared components include bitter orange peel, rhubarb, gentian root, and various herbs and plants macerated in neutral alcohol. The Campari Group has never disclosed the complete botanical list or the proportions used. The spirit is produced in Sesto San Giovanni, Italy, and in production facilities in several other countries. The flavour is primarily driven by gentian root bitterness, citrus oils, and a herbal complex that varies in its balance with different cocktail applications.