terrativo barrel-aged bitter
the first bourbon-based aperitivo in the world. Hooray for originality!
Notes on Style
The world of aperitivo is much broader and more exciting than its most extreme version. Terrativo is not a bitter bomb; there are tart, citrus, & spicy NOTES accentuated with a present, but not overbearing, amount of bitterness. Think of this as a whiskey or bourbon replacement in a cocktail as well as a traditional modifier.
Terrativo Aperitivo
Terrativo Aperitivo
Macerations/infusions:
Tart cherry, fresh & dried orange peel, rhubarb, rhubarb root, hibiscus, cardamom, allspice, gentian, lovage root, cinchona bark
“terrativo is a bold spirits project that blends bourbon’s depth with aperitivo tradition, distilling in unique locales and spotlighting local ingredients and terroir. Their Barrel‑Aged Bitter is a first-of-its-kind bourbon-based aperitivo aged in oak barrels. It layers tart cherry, bitter orange, rhubarb, hibiscus, and warming spices, creating a fresh, bitter, and slightly sweet release that redefines the category.”
■ FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
-
A bitter red aperitivo is a type of low-ABV, botanically infused spirit—usually between 15–30% ABV—known for its vivid crimson color, bittersweet flavor profile, and role as a pre-meal drink (aperitivo in Italian literally means “to open,” referring to stimulating the appetite).
-
We wanted to keep the character from the bourbon in the final profile of the liqueur while still making a spirit that was undeniably aperitivo with American flavors. To satisfy all those prompts, we began by distilling a high-rye bourbon. Tart cherry, bitter orange, cardamom, and allspice were infused into the bourbon base via maceration and vapor infusion. After that, the remaining botanicals, fruits, and bittering were macerated into the bourbon and then filtered. The final step is to dose with sugar: we used sorghum syrup to add just enough sweetness to Terrativo that it rounds out the edges of the bitterness but not so much that the spirit becomes syrupy.
-
Barrel Aged Bitter “BABs” is actually aged twice! First we put the ‘new make’ bourbon into new charred American White Oak barrels. Once the bourbon reaches the characteristic profile of the high rye bourbon we are looking for, we empty the barrel and begin the maceration process. After a few weeks of macerating, the hibiscus and cherry are added before returning the now bitter and tart bourbon back to the barrel for another couple of months..
-
spritzes! are our favorite, but this one goes well in a lot of classic bitter red cocktails. One of our favorites is a mezcal negroni
-1 ½ oz Mezcal
-1 ½ oz Terrativo Barrel Aged Bitter
-1 oz sweet vermout