Bordiga Aperitivo 1L

Bordiga Aperitivo is an artisanal Italian bitter liqueur made entirely in-house at the Bordiga distillery in Cuneo, Piedmont, with no purchased infusions or outsourced components. At 16% alcohol by volume, it sits in the classic aperitivo style—moderately bitter, moderately sweet, built to stimulate appetite rather than overpower the palate. The predominant flavors come from aromatic mountain herbs, bitter orange peel, and Chinese rhubarb root, a trio that delivers complexity beyond the commercial standard. The Bordiga family has been distilling at the foot of the Maritime Alps in northwest Italy since 1888, controlling every step from maceration to bottling. They macerate botanicals in small batches, distill in copper pot stills, and blend without artificial colors or industrial shortcuts. The rhubarb root they use is Rheum palmatum, prized in European herbal traditions for its bitterness and astringency, and it anchors the liqueur's backbone alongside gentian and wormwood. Citrus oils from Sicilian bitter oranges add brightness, while a restrained sugar dosage keeps the sweetness in balance so the liqueur finishes clean and dry enough to drink before a meal. The flavor opens with orange zest and herbal bitterness, then rhubarb's earthy tang appears mid-palate, finishing dry and ready for food. Mix it three parts Prosecco, two parts Bordiga, one part soda water over ice for a Spritz, the aperitif that defined northern Italian summer drinking, or pour two ounces over ice with soda and an orange slice for a low-proof opener. It pairs especially well with cured meats, olives, aged cheeses, and anything salty or fatty that benefits from a bitter counterpoint. The one-liter format means you can keep a bottle in regular rotation without running dry mid-gathering. In stock at Off Premise in Lincoln Park.