Aperol Italian Aperitivo — New 1.5L Magnum Bottle Format 1500ml

The world's favorite orange aperitivo just got a whole lot bigger — and better looking. Aperol, the bittersweet Italian classic that's turned "Spritz o'clock" into a global ritual, is now available in a stunning new 1.5-liter magnum format, arriving in Campari Group's freshly redesigned bottle: the first major aesthetic update to Aperol's packaging since the liqueur was born in 1919. Same unmistakable orange liquid. Same secret recipe the Barbieri brothers perfected over seven years of experimentation. Now in a bottle that looks as good on your bar cart as the Spritz tastes in your glass — and in a size built for the way people actually gather around Aperol: in groups, on terraces, all summer long.

The new bottle takes its cues directly from Italian architecture — a more refined, sculpted silhouette with rippled glass shoulders designed to catch the light and draw the eye straight to that famous orange hue. For the first time ever, each bottle carries an embossed monogram honoring Luigi and Silvio Barbieri, the two brothers who unveiled Aperol at the 1919 Padua International Fair and built one of the most beloved aperitivo brands in the world from their father's liqueur company. Flip the bottle around and you'll find a transparent back label with a built-in, step-by-step guide to building the perfect Aperol Spritz — three parts Prosecco, two parts Aperol, one splash of soda, poured over ice with an orange slice — so the ritual stays consistent whether you're behind a bar or on your own patio.

And now, in 1.5 liters, that ritual gets a whole lot easier to host. This magnum format means fewer bottle runs, more Spritzes poured, and the same bittersweet orange, herbal, and lightly floral character that's made Aperol the definitive centerpiece of aperitivo hour for over a century — gentian, rhubarb, and cinchona balanced against sweet and bitter orange, at a light, sessionable 11% ABV that's made it possible to enjoy more than one round without the drink ever feeling heavy. Whether it's a backyard gathering, a big Sunday brunch, or simply restocking for a whole season of spritzes, this is the same Aperol you already know and love — just in the format your summer actually needs.

Origins & Craftsmanship

Aperol was created in 1919 by brothers Luigi and Silvio Barbieri in Padua, Italy, at the liqueur distillery they inherited from their father, Giuseppe Barbieri, who had founded the company in 1891. After seven years of careful experimentation beginning around 1912, the brothers arrived at a formula built to be lighter and less intensely bitter than the traditional Italian amari of the era — a genuinely new category of aperitivo, designed specifically to open the appetite before dinner rather than overwhelm the palate. They unveiled Aperol at the 1919 Padua International Fair, where its vivid orange color and bittersweet character made an immediate impression. The name itself derives from "apéro," French slang for apéritif.

The recipe, unchanged since 1919, remains a closely guarded secret built around roughly 16 botanicals sourced primarily from Italy's Piedmont region — with gentian root, rhubarb, cinchona bark, and both sweet and bitter orange among the confirmed core ingredients. These botanicals are prepared and macerated in neutral alcohol, then filtered, blended with sugar syrup, and adjusted to a final, sessionable 11% ABV — deliberately lighter than many other bitter aperitivi, a defining choice that has made Aperol synonymous with easy, extended aperitivo drinking rather than a single strong pour. Aperol requires no aging and is bottled shortly after blending. The brand remained independently owned by the Barbieri family until 1991, passed briefly to Ireland's C&C International, and became part of Gruppo Campari in December 2003.

In March 2026, Campari Group unveiled the most significant redesign of the Aperol bottle since its 1919 debut, developed with design agency Design Bridge and Partners Amsterdam. The new silhouette draws inspiration from Italian architecture, with rippled glass shoulders paying tribute to the tradition of Venetian glassmaking, a reduced and more refined front label that puts the spotlight on the liquid itself, and — for the first time — an embossed monogram of the Barbieri brothers directly in the glass, redrawn in partnership with typographer Alec Tear. A transparent back label doubles as a built-in guide to the classic Aperol Spritz recipe. The redesign also reduced overall glass weight and plastic content in the cap as part of Campari Group's broader sustainability efforts. The new bottle, now available in the generous 1.5-liter format, is rolling out globally across both bars and retail shelves.

Critics Reviews

No numerical critic score applies to this product — Aperol is evaluated by drinkers and bartenders on its consistency and character rather than competitive scoring, and the recipe itself is unchanged from the original 1919 formula.

Andrea Neri, Managing Director, House of Aperitifs, Campari Group:
"This new bottle is a celebration of what has always defined Aperol. It reflects our Italian roots while bringing a more contemporary expression to an icon enjoyed around the world. Every detail has been carefully considered to enhance the Aperol experience and reaffirm the brand's place at the heart of modern aperitivo culture."

Difford's Guide (house tasting note):
"A bittersweet low-alcohol aperitivo liqueur made of an infusion of herbs, citrus fruits and roots to a recipe that remains unchanged since it was created in Padova, Italy, in 1919."

Tasting Profile

Nose
Vivid, unmistakable orange color — natural, derived entirely from bitter orange peel and other botanicals, with no artificial coloring. Zesty orange and citrus lead immediately, joined by gentle herbal complexity and a whisper of anise and clove in the background.

Palate
Sweet orange arrives first, giving way to a delicate, non-aggressive bitterness reminiscent of pink grapefruit peel — considerably softer and more approachable than Campari's more assertive bite. A touch of vanilla adds roundness, while rhubarb contributes a subtle tartness beneath the citrus.

Finish
Clean, bittersweet, and refreshing, with herbal and slightly woody notes lingering gently. Light and sessionable at 11% ABV — built specifically for a second, and a third, glass across a long aperitivo hour.

Quick Overview

Cocktail Suggestions

Aperol Spritz (the essential serve)
3 parts Prosecco DOC · 2 parts Aperol · 1 part soda water, poured over ice in a large wine glass, finished with an orange slice — now printed step-by-step on every new Aperol bottle.

Aperol Sour
2 oz Aperol · ¾ oz fresh lemon juice · ½ oz simple syrup, shaken with ice and strained. A bright, low-proof alternative to the classic whiskey sour.

Aperol Spritz, Batched for a Crowd
With the new 1.5L format, batch a full pitcher: combine 3 parts Prosecco and 2 parts Aperol in a large carafe, pour over ice glass by glass, and top each with a splash of soda and an orange slice — ideal for entertaining without constantly running back for another bottle.