Leopold Bros Aperitivo Classico
Leopold Bros Aperitivo Classico is an Italian-style red bitter aperitivo — 700mL at 24% ABV (48 proof), distilled in Denver, Colorado with gentian root, grapefruit peel, and a dozen botanicals, colored naturally with cochineal — and you can order it online at Del Mesa Liquor, San Diego, CA.
- ABV: 24% (48 proof)
- Size: 700mL
- Origin: Denver, Colorado, USA — Leopold Bros (brothers Todd & Scott Leopold; distilling since 1999)
- Method: each botanical distilled separately in-house, then blended; first crafted 2015
- Flavor components: bitterness from gentian root; sweetness from cane sugar; citrus from distilled coriander and grapefruit peels; hyssop, Artemisia pontica, petite wormwood, sarsaparilla
- Color: natural cochineal — no artificial red dye
Denver's Answer to the Italian Aperitivo
The Leopold brothers built their name on single-botanical distillation, and their red bitter aperitivo shows it: every botanical is distilled separately before blending, so the gentian bite, grapefruit brightness, and wormwood earthiness arrive clean and distinct. Cochineal — not dye — gives the classic red. If your spritz rotation runs on Aperol, this is the craft upgrade. More from Leopold Bros, or browse the amaro & bitters shelf and the full liqueurs range.
Tasting Notes
Bitter orange and gentian up front, grapefruit-peel brightness, floral-herbal mid-palate with an earthy wormwood thread, and a long, classically bitter finish with an American sarsaparilla twang.
How to Enjoy
The spritz (3-2-1 with prosecco and soda), a Negroni or Boulevardier, or a Paper Plane.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Leopold Bros Aperitivo Classico?
An Italian-style red bitter aperitivo made in Denver, Colorado — gentian, citrus, and botanicals distilled separately and blended, colored with natural cochineal.
What is the ABV of Aperitivo Classico?
24% ABV (48 proof).
Is it like Aperol or Campari?
Same family — a red bitter aperitivo for spritzes and Negronis — made craft-style with individually distilled botanicals and natural coloring.
Where is Leopold Bros?
Denver, Colorado (founded 1999; in Colorado since 2008).
Upgrade the spritz hour: order Leopold Bros Aperitivo Classico online from Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA.