It's funny because when I was a university student I had only a vague idea that a Negroni was equal parts Campari, gin and Vermouth. I did not know which vermouth exactly, and I couldn't be bothered to check, so I would often just make it with Martini bianco (commonly found in Italian supermarkets) and thought it was great.
Now my taste is a bit more refined and I do prefer the original version. Still, this combination reminds me of when I was young and foolish!

Definitely smoky, as the name suggests, but not overly so and very well balanced overall. Will add it to the list of light aperitivo servings.

I had high hopes for this cocktail, which I made with Cynar 70 proof. However, I found it too tart and citrusy. Will try tuning down bitters next time. I only have Angostura Orange Bitters, that I am not too fond of. I wonder if more premium bitters would have made a better cocktail.

If you happen to have friends over for aperitivo, I suggest serving regular Negronis mixed with a few of these on the same tray. The bright red and light blue of the two look just stunning together and you'll be sure to make an impression.
I found the result a bit too sweet, I will try fully replacing bianco vermouth with extra dry next time.

I've been touring Italy recently and I'm simply astonished at the ubiquity of the all-conquering Aperol Spritz - no-one seems to be drinking anything else! The AS is on every table at every bar, plugged on every chalkboard, clutched in every fist. An unremarkable drink with ridiculous penetration. I long to see it eclipsed by - well, by anything!

True. Most people, however, are not cocktail enthusiasts and the success of Aperol Spritz is easy to explain. It is light and sweet, with enough bitterness to suit an aperitivo. It Is colorful and easy to replicate. Also, it has strong roots into tradition and it is not at all an imported fashion.
At some point in the future there will be another drink taking the scene, no doubt, but you must admit it won't be easy.

I actually liked this even better than the original Casino. You must be a fan of Maraschino, though.

An excellent rye whiskey cocktail. I’m not so sure it is a good fit as an aperitivo: liquorice and anise notes may not be best suited to prepare the palate for a meal. I will make it again after dinner!

I loved it. Next time I will try reducing Maraschino to 5 ml, I found it a little prevailing.

While I love Chartreuse Verte as a cocktail ingredient, I totally prefer Jaune when drunk neat

A simple glass of vermouth rosso makes an excellent aperitivo. This cocktail is a way to improve that drink. Using good quality vermouth is key.

I have not tried Suze and Salers yet. From the way they are proposed in cocktails, I suspect they may be sweeter products than this Nardini gentian-infused grappa, which is indeed very dry. Nardini Genziana may not be an alternative to those two Gentian liqueurs.

Having found the original 2:2:1:1 recipe on several books, I tried those proportions. While the flavour is delicious, it is indeed too sweet. I should know by now that I had better trust Simon’s adaptations! Will try again with the 3:3:1:1 ratio.

Happy World Cocktail Day, and a big thank you to Simon and his team for their precious work!

This is very enjoyable! I used 15 ml elderflower syrup instead of the liqueur and the result was well balanced. Sweetened champagne with pleasant faint notes from the other ingredients, which combine together very harmoniously.

The recipe above is from the first official IBA list of cocktails. Who am I to say that it can be improved? However, I found the mix benefits from the addition of a teaspoon of rich sugar syrup.

I enjoyed the flavour combination but, as expected from the ingredients, it is quite sweet. Maybe too much.

Simon, allow me a correction. The name of the drink should probably be "Il viaggio", with one L, which means "The travel" in Italian, not "I travel"! "I travel" would translate as "Io viaggio". Sorry for being pedantic!