Campari (Bitter) Liqueur 375ml

Campari traces back to 1860, when Gaspare Campari, a former waiter and cafe owner in Novara and later Milan, developed the bitter liqueur that would carry his name. Originally colored with carmine dye derived from crushed cochineal insects, the drink got its distinctive red hue from that ingredient until the company discontinued its use in 2006. His son Davide later took the brand international, opening a dedicated production facility at Sesto San Giovanni in 1904 and pushing exports beyond Italy's borders. Today Campari remains part of Gruppo Campari, a Milan-based drinks company with a global footprint.

The recipe, which the company keeps confidential, is built from more than sixty natural ingredients including herbs, spices, tree barks, and fruit peels, infused in alcohol and water. Bitter orange peel and rhubarb root are widely believed to form the backbone of the blend, though the exact formula and proportions have never been published. The macerated botanicals are blended with water and alcohol before bottling, a process that has stayed largely consistent since the company's founding.

The color is a deep, almost fluorescent red, giving way to an aroma of orange peel, dried herbs, and a faint medicinal edge. On the palate it opens with bittersweet citrus before a pronounced, lingering bitterness takes hold, balanced by a subtle sweetness underneath. Its intensity makes it a foundational ingredient in classic cocktails like the Negroni and Americano.