Spumoni

Difford’s Guide
Discerning Drinkers (26 ratings)

Serve in a Collins glass

Ingredients:
1 oz Strucchi Red Bitter (Campari-style liqueur)
1 12 oz Ruby red grapefruit
3 oz Thomas Henry Tonic Water chilled
× 1 1 serving
Read about cocktail measures and measuring

How to make:

  1. Select and pre-chill a Collins glass.
  2. Prepare garnish of grapefruit wedge.
  3. POUR first 2 ingredients into glass.
  4. Briefly STIR.
  5. FILL glass with ice.
  6. TOP with tonic water and briefly stir.
  7. Garnish with grapefruit wedge.

Strength & taste guide:

No alcohol
Medium
Boozy
Strength 2/10
Sweet
Medium
Dry/sour
Sweet to sour 8/10

Review:

Bittersweet and citrusy. As good with breakfast as it is as an aperitivo.

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History:

Spumoni is a popular low alcohol cocktail in Japan, particularly in Tokyo, so much so that Suntory marketed a canned Spumoni cocktail. Spumoni naturally featured in an episode of the Japanese Bartender anime television series where it was noticed by New York bartender, Jon Mullen who made his own version of the Spumoni at Bar Pisellino. Mullen's version has since become something of a contemporary classic in the USA.

Jon Mullen's Spumoni
Glass: Collins
Garnish: Cracked pink peppercorns
Method: Pour all ingredients into glass and briefly stir to combine.
45 ml (1½ oz) Campari
15 ml (½ oz) Dry gin (originally Neversink Gin)
5 ml (1 barspoon) Pink peppercorn syrup*
45 ml (1½ oz) Tonic water (originally Fever-Tree Indian Tonic)
45 ml (1½ oz) Ruby red grapefruit juice

*To make pink peppercorn syrup, simmer the following for 20 minutes:
1 cup water
1 cup white sugar
1/3 cup muddled pink peppercorns
zest of one ruby red grapefruit
1 tablespoon of grated ginger
Cover and leave to stand until cool, then fine strain into a suitable container such as a Kilner jar. Seal and store in a refrigerator for up to one month.

Nutrition:

One serving of Spumoni contains 168 calories

Alcohol content:

  • 0.4 standard drinks
  • 3.58% alc./vol. (3.58° proof)
  • 5.9 grams of pure alcohol

Difford’s Guide remains free-to-use thanks to the support of the brands in green above. Values stated for alcohol and calorie content, and number of drinks an ingredient makes should be considered approximate.

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Egg McKenzie’s Avatar Egg McKenzie
16th March at 19:45
I wouldn’t hesitate to marry this divine concoction.
Peter Anderson’s Avatar Peter Anderson
19th April 2022 at 11:16
Thanks Petros - found it here
https://punchdrink.com/recipes/spumoni/
Now just need to make some pink peppercorn syrup
Simon Difford’s Avatar Simon Difford
19th April 2022 at 17:37
I've added Jon Mullen’s Spumoni recipe with gin and pink peppercorn syrup above.
Peter Anderson’s Avatar Peter Anderson
2nd February 2022 at 10:33
Had a version of this at the Jigger and Pony in Singapore. Absolutely wondrous. I think they make it with Perrier grapefruit and some Nikka Coffey Gin too. Am trying to recreate it as can't find any shred of a recipe online.
19th April 2022 at 08:29
Search for Bar Pisellon's version. It is made with Gin.