Americano (cocktail)

Americano

IBA official cocktail
Type	Mixed drink
Base spirit	Vermouth Campari
Served	On the rocks: poured over ice
Standard garnish	half an orange slice, lemon twist
Standard drinkware	Old fashioned glass
IBA specified ingredients†	3 cl Campari 3 cl sweet red vermouth A splash of soda water
Preparation	Pour the Campari and vermouth over ice into an old fashioned glass, add a splash of soda water and garnish with half an orange slice and a lemon twist.
Commonly served	Before dinner
† Americano recipe at International Bartenders Association

The Americano is an IBA official cocktail ^[1] composed of Campari, sweet vermouth, and for the sparkling version, club soda and garnished with a slice of lemon or an orange twist. ^{[2] [3]}

History

The cocktail was first served in creator Gaspare Campari's bar, Caffè Campari in Milan. In the 1860s, an American man, who was under the impression that Campari was a long drink, ordered it, hated it, and said it would be better served iced and fizzy. He ordered a Campari and soda which became too bitter; after a few iterations he and the esteemed bartender decided on Vermouth as the perfect blend. ^[4] It is the direct descendant of the "Milano-Torino" which consisted of Campari, the bitter liqueur from Milan (Milano) and Punt e Mes, the vermouth from Turin (Torino) but lacked soda water. This drink was itself a descendant of the "Torino-Milano", a concoction consisting of equal parts Campari and Amaro Cora. ^[5]

In popular culture

It is the first drink ordered by James Bond in the first novel in Ian Fleming's series, Casino Royale . In From Russia With Love , Bond drinks "two excellent Americanos" in Rome during his flight to Istanbul. In the short story "From a View to a Kill", Bond chooses an Americano as an appropriate drink for a mere café; suggesting that "in cafés you have to drink the least offensive of the musical comedy drinks that go with them." ^[6] Bond always stipulates Perrier, for, in his opinion, expensive soda water was the cheapest way to improve a poor drink.

In The Tourist , Elise and Fred each had an Americano (or two) before their fancy dinner at a Venetian restaurant, and resumed drinking that post-dinner back in their hotel room. In The Talented Mr. Ripley , Tom and Dickie drink americanos on the Via Veneto in Rome.

See also

Drinkportal Liquorportal

• List of cocktails
• List of cocktails (alphabetical)
• List of IBA official cocktails
• Negroni

References

1. "The Unforgettables". International Bartenders Association . Archived from the original on 9 March 2017. Retrieved 26 January 2016.
2. "2-Ingredient Cocktails You'll Want to Memorize".
3. "Classics You Should Know: The Americano". Liquor.com. Retrieved 6 January 2025.
4. "Campari Takes Center Stage In This Tasty Americano Cocktail". The Spruce Eats. Retrieved 5 November 2024.
5. "The Americano and the Milano Torino cocktails - an introduction and instructions". OLIVER McCRUM WINES & SPIRITS. 11 May 2020. Retrieved 6 November 2024.
6. Fleming, Ian. "From a View to a Kill" in The Complete James Bond Short Stories. New York, 2004.