Santoni L'Aperitivo 70cl

Most aperitivos taste of one big idea — bitter orange, or that fluorescent-orange sweetness everyone knows. Santoni does something quieter and more interesting. Born in Florence and built around rhubarb rather than orange, it's a Tuscan take on the pre-dinner ritual that swaps the usual sugar rush for something drier and more grown-up.

There are 34 botanicals in here, but rhubarb is the heart of it, with orris — the iris root Tuscany is famous for — plus olive leaf and sour orange filling in around it. At 16%, it sits lower than a spirit and higher than a wine, right in the sweet spot for a long, easy drink before dinner.

Pour it and you get citrus and rose up front, then that gently bitter, herbaceous rhubarb underneath. Lightly sweet, but it finishes clean and a little bitter, the way a proper aperitivo should — the bitterness is there to wake your appetite up, not to punish you. Delicate and layered rather than loud.

The obvious move is a spritz, and it makes a beautiful one: less sweet, more fragrant, far more food-friendly than the usual suspects. It's also lovely over ice with a twist if you want to actually taste what's going on.

How to Serve

Serve it cold. For a spritz, pour equal parts Santoni and prosecco over plenty of ice, then top with a splash of soda and a slice of orange. On its own, over ice with an orange twist. It's vegan, if anyone asks.

Where to Drink It

Scarfes Bar at the Rosewood for a spritz before a night out. Bar Lotus in Soho for something more low-key. Or the American Bar at the Savoy, where an aperitivo is treated as an art form.

Food Pairings

This is what you drink with the nibbles — green olives, salted almonds, a board of Tuscan salumi and pecorino. The bitterness does its job and leaves you hungry.