Experience
I tried Lyre's Amaretti and Aperitif Rosso. The Amaretti has a pleasant almond taste and is predominantly sweet but not syrupy or overwhelming. I tried it with some lemon juice, imitating an amaretto sour cocktail. It wowed me here. For the first time, I was enjoying a non alcoholic cocktail that felt complex and punchy enough to taste great served neat, without the help of soda or tonic. I don’t recommend this as a solo sipper, but I think it would be a flexible addition to lots of drinks. In fact, it’s distinct enough that I could see it having benefits in even an alcoholic cocktail in the hands of a savvy bartender. Aperitif Rosso has a rich and juicy flavor that’s sweet but not overwhelming. The aftertaste is the real surprise though. Aperitif Rosso has an intriguing finish that delivers a slightly bitter taste similar to a grapefruit pith or a cocktail with a few extra dashes of bitters. For cocktail and vermouth nerds, this is most comparable to Punt e Mes, a popular vermouth in the craft cocktail world. While Aperitif Rosso might be a bit rich by itself, I’m sure this bottle has all the firepower to stand up in any mocktail.