Carpano Botanic Bitter

Score: 17/23 I'm hoping for a better alternative to both Campari and Aperol. I've not really enjoyed either, but they've had occasional utility in mixed drinks. This costs more, but it's a long way from being prohibitively expensive. Smell: Herbaceous with some spice and ample sweetness. Notes of menthol, ginger, clove, and cinnamon. A touch of dusty earth. It's hard to distinguish individual aromas; it's really more of a general impression. It does smell somewhat like red dye, though not as much as Campari. Taste: This certainly has that red dye bitterness akin to Campari, but it's much more subdued and I'm actually quite content with it here, particularly once it's further masked by a cocktail. This is drier than Campari, but I wouldn't say it lacks sweetness. There's more complexity, but the flavor isn't as pronounced or full. Menthol, ginger, clove, cinnamon, a faint hint of clover honey, some dusty earth, other herbal notes with occasional vegetal suggestions. It's sweet, but doesn't just taste like a bitter liqueur plus sugary water. I do detect that red dye flavor slightly. Finish: Menthol, sweet red dye that at times verges on red Italian meringue buttercream frosting. Ginger, clove, the barest hint of Sichuan peppercorn. - Conclusion - Campari is somewhat sweeter and more savory with more of that red dye taste. This is cleaner with more herbal complexity, but the two really serve the same purpose. One thing to consider is that Campari and similar liqueurs are almost always used with rosso vermouth. So choosing the best combination of those two is likely more crucial than selecting the best Campari-like liqueur. What I'm truly saying is that ultimately the most important factor is finding a liqueur that complements Carpano Antiqua Formula Vermouth. There's a subtlety here that Campari lacks. This isn't a major improvement over Campari, but it has its strengths, such as a boulevardier made with Russell's Reserve 10, which shows how this can be the best option. For other cocktails emphasizing richness and sweetness, Campari might be better, but for complexity and balance, this is generally slightly superior. And it has a bit less of that red dye flavor. This is difficult because it's more subtle and complex with fewer faults than Campari, yet it lacks the rich, full sweetness that Campari contributes to many cocktails. If Campari is overpowering, this is a good alternative, but it's spicier and less sweet, meaning some cocktails won't be as decadent with this. Sometimes the bitters fill in the gaps, and they often help considerably with this, but it's still hard to reach a definitive conclusion. That said, adding Angostura bitters truly makes me favor this, given how well they harmonize with the spices present. I find rating liqueurs extremely challenging. With standard spirits, I taste them neat, with a little water, let them rest in the bottle, and that's generally it. With these, I need to identify the right spirit type, the exact spirit, and the correct ratio to establish a confident rating. And what if I simply haven't considered the combination that makes a liqueur shine? My overall impression is that the balance is pleasant, but this lacks the robust impact a cocktail often requires and it's somewhat diluted compared to others (like Campari). I appreciate the balance, but in my experience with home mixing, I've found that strong, distinct notes are typically more significant than balance. Because when mixing, I'm aiming to create balance. I'm not a math whiz, but this reminds me of eigenvectors: what I'm really seeking when mixing is to combine prominent, characteristic elements. Individually complex flavors tend to become muddled. Consequently, I like this in most scenarios, making it a reliable choice, but I'm really seeking something that more strongly appeals to me. It's not prohibitively expensive to purchase a few bottles of amaro, so I'd prefer to achieve good coverage with different approaches rather than relying on a generally balanced flavor. Additionally, in terms of cost, this is over 50% more expensive than Campari. I do, overall, find this to be slightly better than Campari. I'm giving it a 16. Not a substantial improvement overall, but I suppose a bit better. A major issue I'm encountering is that while I can find many mediocre spirits that this improves, I'm struggling to create any cocktails that I would rate very highly. And assigning this the score of the best cocktail I can produce with it is about as generous as I can be. Alright, it's been a considerable amount of time. A lot of time. This is running low. And while I believe Campari sometimes provides a bolder flavor that works exceptionally well, I appreciate the complexity and ease of use of this. It performs reliably, even when not ideal. And the complexity is effective. I've created some subtle homemade cocktails with this that have made me very pleased. They primarily involve Carpano Antica Formula, which I prefer over this, but this remains a very nice addition. I can somewhat see a case for a 14, but I don't think it's likely below a 15. A 19 seems too high, but perhaps. Definitely not a 20. I'm currently leaning towards a 17.

Features notes of various botanicals including gentian, rhubarb, saffron, and bitter orange peel. Its beautiful color comes from natural saffron, and it has an elegant bitter taste. Notably, it possesses less density from sugar compared to some well-known Italian rivals. It is excellent for mixology, suitable for making Americano, Negroni, or Spritz, or for a simple shaken drink.

Essentially a more expensive version of Campari.