It feels like Aussie aperitifs are finally having a moment – which makes sense when you consider the whole country’s been chasing Euro summer for the last three years. A Campari and soda, vermouth on the rocks or limoncello spritz on a hot afternoon? Yes, yes and hell yes.
So, you could say these stout, sexy cans of amaro tonic by Saison Aperitifs and Mischief Brew have landed at the perfect time (cracks one loudly).
Behind the amaro is Saison, otherwise known as the side hustle for Dave Verheul, owner-chef of acclaimed Melbourne wine bar Embla. On tonic is Mischief Brew, the Adelaide soda and mixer company that takes tonic water so seriously, it makes three of them.
“We’ve both been fans of each other’s products for a long time. They’ve been drinking amaro and tonics on a Friday afternoon for a while, I’ve been doing the same thing up here in Melbourne,” says Verheul, who’s been a key figure in raising the profile of Aussie aperitifs, along with Rhubi Mistelle, Bizzarro Aperitivo and others.
For the uninitiated, amaro is a bitter Italian liqueur in the same realm as vermouth – an alcohol base that’s been “aromatised” with a bouquet of spices, bitter roots, herbs and/or fruit. Campari and Aperol are the ultimate examples of amari.
That said, many associate amari with northern Italy, where it’s colder and the aperitif is darker and heavier on spice. For this collab, Verheul has concocted a citrus-forward amaro inspired by the country’s south. “It’s sunnier, it’s hotter. For me, that really resonates with the Australian palate.”
For this collab, that means chinotto, blood oranges, cumquats, marigold blossoms and heaps of wild oregano. In other words, “complementary, warm-weather flavours blended into Victorian moscato and aged in old French oak barrels for roughly six months”.
Mischief Brew has married this with a bespoke liquid that’s unique from its Number One, Two, and Three tonic waters. “Lots of beautiful citrus in there, cinchona and other bits and pieces,” says Verheul. To enjoy, serve chilled over ice with a slice of orange.
Verheul says Aussies have the “aperitivo occasion” figured out, but it’s only recently that we’ve really started to embrace small-batch products that are made naturally, contain less sugar and are lighter on booze.
“An Aperol spritz is a beautiful thing, but it has a lot of sugar in it … if we can still deliver the complexity of a spritz, but do it in a more Australian way, that’s a really wonderful thing.”
Saison Aperitif x Mischief Brew Amaro Tonic is available in packs of four at bottle shops around the country. RRP. $24.95.
