Campari

Campari was created in 1860 by Gaspare Campari in Novara, Italy, and has been produced continuously ever since, making it one of the most enduring and recognizable liqueurs in the world.

The recipe remains a closely guarded secret, though the spirit is known to contain a blend of herbs, aromatic plants, and fruit, with a signature bitter profile derived from a proprietary selection of botanicals.

The vivid red colour, once attributed to carmine dye derived from insects, has been produced using artificial colouring since 2006. Campari is bottled at 24 percent alcohol by volume, making it lower in strength than many spirits but potent enough to anchor a cocktail.

It is the defining ingredient in the Negroni, where it pairs with gin and sweet vermouth, and it forms the base of the Campari Spritz and the Americano.

At its core, Campari delivers a structured bitterness that is not easily replicated by competing aperitivi, and that distinctiveness is precisely why it has remained a bartender staple for over 160 years.

For home drinkers in Kitsilano with any interest in classic Italian cocktail culture, a bottle of Campari is a practical and historically grounded addition to any back bar.