Campari
Also called Campari Bitter, bitter Campari
The scarlet Italian bitter aperitivo, 24% ABV in the US (strength varies by market), made since 1860 from a secret infusion of herbs, barks and fruit. Assertively bitter with orange and cherry behind it, it is the third of a Negroni and the bitter half of a Boulevardier and an Americano.
- bitter orange
- gentian
- cherry
- rhubarb
- quinine like bitterness
- herbal
- caramel sweetness
Origin
Gaspare Campari, born in 1828 in Lombardy, learned the liqueur trade in Milan and in 1860 made his bitter in his caffè in Novara, first calling it 'Bitter all'uso d'Hollanda' and coloring it red. He moved to Milan, and in 1867 opened Caffè Campari in the new Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. Demand led to the Sesto San Giovanni plant in 1904. The Americano grew out of the Milano-Torino (Campari with Turin vermouth), and the Negroni emerged in Florence around 1919 to 1920, though its exact origin is debated. The recipe is said to be unchanged, except for the color: Difford's dates the replacement of the cochineal carmine dye to 2006, though its heritage page says carmine is still used.
Common uses
- negroni
- boulevardier
- Americano
- Campari and soda
- Jungle Bird
- Garibaldi with orange juice
Pours that use it
- Classic
Boulevardier
Bourbon, Campari and sweet vermouth: the Negroni's Paris cousin
A stirred bitter-sweet whiskey cocktail from 1920s Paris: bourbon, Campari and sweet vermouth, served over a large cube or up with an orange twist.
WhiskeyStirredEasy - Classic
Negroni
Equal parts, Florence, and a count who wanted more
Italy's bittersweet aperitivo classic: equal parts gin, Campari and sweet vermouth, stirred and served over ice with an orange slice or peel.
GinStirredEasy
Sources
- Campari: our history, Campari · primary source, retrieved 2026-10-11
- Campari heritage, Difford's Guide · secondary source, retrieved 2026-10-11
- Campari production process: recipe, ingredients, Difford's Guide · secondary source, retrieved 2026-10-11