This Aperol cocktail combines the famous Italian bitters with rum, pineapple and lime for a classy drink that’s even better than a spritz!
Most of the time we like a classic cocktail. But sometimes you have to break the mold. So also with today’s drink, the Cocktail Aperol! Because Aperol is not only suitable for the universally popular Aperol Spritz. We’ve put together a classic-style modern cocktail that we think is even better than a spritz, if that’s possible! Mix Aperol with rum, lime and pineapple juice and the result is a sweet, almost grapefruit-like, almost tropical tart with a subtly bitter finish. In fact, we think it’s pretty much perfect. You have to try it!
What’s in this Aperol cocktail?
This Aperol cocktail looks more like a sour cocktail than the popular spritz: and it’s an A Couple Cooks original. Because all cocktails need a catchy name, we christened it “The Amalfi” as an ode to its Italian heritage. It’s sort of a game with two of our favorite modern classic cocktails, the Paper Plane and Jungle Bird, using Aperol and Campari respectively. This is what this Aperol cocktail contains:
All about aperitifs!
What is Aperol anyway? Aperol is an Italian bitter aperitif with a bright orange color and a slightly sweet, lemony taste. Another famous Italian appetizer you may be familiar with is Campari, the main ingredient in a Negroni! Campari was the first aperitif invented in Italy in the 1860s. Aperol appeared in 1919 and was later acquired by the Campari company in the 1990s.
Aperol is most commonly used in the popular Aperol Spritz. It has a slightly sweet, bitter and balanced taste with herbal and citrus notes. Its light taste is much more accessible than the bitter Campari, which can polarize. I personally prefer Aperol over Campari where Alex likes bitter flavors and is a Campari fan. (Learn more about the differences: Campari vs. Aperol!)
Use the best quality rum
Our advice for a good cocktail: the better the liqueur, the better the drink! For this Aperol cocktail, you need white rum, the same type of rum used in a classic daiquiri, mojito, and piña colada. White rum is clear and has a simple flavor, unlike golden or brown rum, which is a bit more nuanced. Try to find a mid-range bottle, which usually indicates quality.
How to make this Aperol cocktail: shake and strain!
The Aperol cocktail is Then easy to prepare: just shake and filter a cocktail! Yes, you have to smear a shaker and squeeze a lime: but that’s it. Here’s what to do:
- Shake: Put the ingredients in a cocktail shaker. Fill it with a few handfuls of ice and shake it until very cold. Don’t have a cocktail shaker? Use a mason jar with a lid instead.
- stump: Strain the drink into a cocktail glass. Don’t have a cocktail strainer? Use a fine mesh strainer instead.
- Garnish: A lime wedge is a great garnish if desired and pairs perfectly with the peachy hue of the cocktail.
More Aperol cocktails
Aside from the two most popular ways, there are many ways to use Aperol: and we hope you add this Aperol cocktail (aka Amalfi!) to your shortlist! Here are some other Aperol cocktails that we recommend using with a bottle of Italian liqueur:
Sparkling, lemony, herbal, subtly bitter and slightly sweet… that’s the Aperol Spritz! This drink is famous all over the world. But did you know that this is actually a classic 1950s cocktail? This Italian cocktail has been winning hearts and minds for years. Try it done right and it’s worth it.
Ingredients: Aperol, champagne, mineral water
Get the recipe
Here’s a must-have Aperol cocktail: the paper airplane! It’s a brilliant study in balance and contrast: bitter, sweet and tart at the same time, creating a magical synergy between bourbon and Aperol. It’s truly remarkable and you’d think it’s a classic cocktail. But this combination of Kentucky bourbon and Italian bitters wasn’t invented until 2007!
Ingredients: Aperol, Bourbon, Amaro, Lemon Juice
Get the recipe
The Naked and Famous cocktail is as impressive as its name… from the first sip! It only has four ingredients but is beautifully balanced, the perfect harmony of smoke, citrus, bitterness and sweetness. This modern cocktail was created in 2011, but it has nods to the past and nods to a historic cocktail we know and love. It’s clean, fresh, modern with a retro twist…it might even be perfect.
Ingredients: Aperol, Mezcal, Chartreuse, Lime
Get the recipe
Looking for a version of the most classic Italian cocktail? Enter the aperole Negroni! It is refreshing, bitter and complex at the same time. Aperol’s bright orange makes a stunning statement for your jewel of a drink. This 3 ingredient cocktail is easy to make because it uses 1 ounce of each of its three components.
Ingredients: Aperol, gin, sweet vermouth
Get the recipe
Here is a unique Aperol cocktail: the Aperol Garibaldi! This Italian cocktail contains 2 ingredients, making it extremely easy to mix. The original Garibaldi uses Campari: but why not replace it with Aperol? It’s balanced and refreshing, with bitter, sweet, and tart notes that come together in a perfect sip.
Ingredients: Aperol, fresh orange juice
Get the recipe
When to serve that Aperol cocktail
This Aperol cocktail, the Amalfi, is a festive and fun cocktail, perfect for parties or a nightcap. It’s great like:
- summer drink
- signature drink
- Aperitif at aperitif time
- party drink
- Happy hour drink
- Drink at dinner
The description
This Aperol cocktail combines the famous Italian bitters with rum, pineapple and lime for an elegant drink that’s even better than a spritz!
- 2 ounces (4 tablespoons) White Rum
- 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) pineapple juice
- 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) Aperitif
- 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) lime juice
- ½ ounce (1 tbsp) simple syrup or maple syrup
- For the garnish: lime wedge
- Pour the rum, pineapple juice, Aperol, lime juice and simple syrup into a shaker. Fill with ice and shake until cold.
- Strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a lime wedge, if you like.
- Category: drink
- Method: Shocked
- Kitchen: American
- Diet: vegan
Keywords: Cocktail Aperol
More rum cocktails
This Aperol cocktail also contains rum and lime juice, which are some of the most famous rum cocktails you will find! Here are a few to try:
