Nonino L’Aperitivo Botanical Drink

If you’re a cocktail enthusiast, it’s likely that you have an opinion or two about Italy’s range of Amari, or bittersweet liqueurs. With much attention paid to Amaro Nonino, it’s easy to overlook the heritage brand’s other offerings. This Spring, I encourage you to check out L’Apertivo Nonino Botanical Drink, an Apertivo Bianco originally created by Silvia Nonino in 1940. The first of a long line of female Grappa distillers in the Nonino family, Silvia perfected what was then her house Apertivo blend by gathering herbs and botanicals native to Friuli and adding them to her Grappa distillate. Nearly a century later, Silvia’s blend is now available to all of us, and we’re proud to carry it on our shelves. Its golden hue and beautiful bottle make it a stunning addition to any home bar cart, but its quality and versatility make it much more than a mere ornament. Unlike Campari and Aperol, no artificial colors or flavor are added in the process. Juicy citrus notes of orange and Meyer lemon balance the bitter nuance of woody herbs and rhubarb. Whether you use it in a lively Spritz, a Blonde Negroni, or even try it in place of orange liqueur in a Margarita, I’m sure you’ll find L’Apertivo Nonino Botanical Drink to be one of the most used and beloved liqueurs in your Spring cocktail arsenal.

Amaras Cupreata Mezcal

It wasn’t all that long ago that you were lucky to find one brand of mezcal on liquor store shelves in this country—and that one had a worm in it. (It still does.) In recent years, the mezcal category has grown by leaps and bounds. Now there are not just dozens of choices of classic mezcals made from the espadin agave in the Mexican state of Oaxaca, but there are also mezcals made from different kinds of agave, and in different parts of Mexico. Among these more exotic bottlings, one of my favorites is Amarás’s joven (unaged) mezcal made in the state of Guerrero from the cupreata agave. (And apparently I’m not the only one who thinks it’s fantastic—it won Best in Show for all unaged spirits at last year’s prestigious San Francisco World Spirits Competition.) Appealingly herbaceous, with just enough smoke to add another layer of complexity to its array of floral and vegetal flavors, it makes a great Old Fashioned as well as a sensational straight sipper.