Don Ciccio & Figli Cinque Aperitivo. Negroni Week is in full swing…are you maybe out of Campari, tired of Campari, can’t stand Campari? Well, let’s about about other Bitters.

American-made Don Ciccio & Figli Cinque is a reddish liqueur highlighting bitter orange and gentian, an obvious alternative to Campari/Aperol. Compared to Aperol, it’s more bitter and less syrupy/citrusy. And compared to Campari, it’s thinner in both mouthfeel as well as flavor concentration, making it a less intense alternative for those who shy from Campari’s aggressive nature.

On the Italian Bitter: In cocktails, “bitters” most often refers to the concentrated formulas like Angostura that are used in dashes to ‘spice up’ drinks. Confusingly enough, “Bitters” is also a term for an entire class of Italian liqueurs traditionally drank to open up the appetite.

While some people refer to Campari as an “amaro” (a related group of bittersweet liqueurs), in traditional Italian culture, Campari is *not* an amaro, but a Bitter. The distinction between a Bitter and an Amaro is that Bitters are generally drank *before* meals as part of “aperitivo hour,” are frequently lighter in color, alcohol %, and mouthfeel, while amaro are imbibed *after* meals as a “digestivo” and are usually higher in alcohol and heaviness.

Outside of Italy, you’ll readily find Campari and Aperol (and maybe sometimes Luxardo Bitter/Bitter Bianco or Gran Classico Bitter), but IN Italy, you’ll find entire shelves dedicated to various Bitters of all types.