Campari

What is Campari? Campari is an Italian bitter red aperitif liqueur invented in 1860 by Gaspare Campari in Novara, made from an infusion of herbs and fruit including chinotto and cascarilla. Its bottling strength varies by market, ranging from 20.5 to 28.5 percent ABV, and its flavor is famously bitter, spicy, and lightly sweet. Today it is produced and distributed by the Campari Group across more than 190 countries, and it remains one of the defining bottles of the Italian aperitivo tradition.

Origin and Production

The story begins in Novara in 1860, where Gaspare Campari developed the recipe that would carry his name. His son, Davide Campari, scaled the business by opening the first dedicated production plant in 1904 in Sesto San Giovanni, near Milan, setting the foundation for what is now a global brand.

Campari is made by infusing herbs and fruit in a blend of alcohol and water. Only a handful of ingredients have ever been disclosed, chinotto and cascarilla among them, while the full formula remains a closely guarded trade secret. The drink's striking dark red color was originally produced with carmine dye derived from crushed cochineal insects; that practice was discontinued in 2006, and an artificial colorant has been used since. In Italy it is classified as a bitter aperitivo, while the US market files it among amaro-type aperitifs.

How It's Served

Campari is rarely sipped neat. It earns its place as a fixture of the bar through a small but iconic family of cocktails that lean on its bitterness to balance sweetness, citrus, and effervescence. The most famous is the Negroni, traced to Florence in 1919 and attributed to bartender Fosco Scarselli at Café Casoni, who built a stronger Americano for Count Camillo Negroni by swapping soda for gin.

Beyond the Negroni, Campari anchors the Americano, the Boulevardier, the Garibaldi, and the Campari Spritz. Each preparation showcases a different facet of the liqueur: the soda lift of the Spritz and Americano, the whiskey backbone of the Boulevardier, and the bright orange juice contrast of the Garibaldi. Served chilled over ice with a citrus twist, Campari is a reliable opener to a meal in the classic aperitivo style.