12 summer spritz cocktail recipes for the Bank Holiday weekend

Aperol spritz – a slightly bitter, citrusy cocktail hailing from Italy – has always been a crowd parter. Some love its bitter, refreshing taste (including Theresa May); some despite it (Nigella Lawson describes it as 'Tizer-like').

But it's not the only thing you can mix with Prosecco or soda water for a light, summery drink.

Here’s a few of the best ideas to help get your bank holiday party started...

Italicus

If you like the citrussy taste of Aperol but fancy something a little more complex, try Italicus (£30.45, whiskeyexchange.com). Its main ingredient is bergamot, an Italian citrus fruit which looks a bit like a lemon, despite being more closely related to an orange. There are also notes of lavender and rose, making for an intriguingly tangy yet floral taste.

How to spritz it:

Build over ice cubes in a large wine glass

• 2 parts Italicus

• 2 parts prosecco (or champagne)

• Garnish with three green olives.

Everleaf

Designated drivers might want to pay attention to this one because this bright yellow drink is entirely alcohol-free. Everleaf (£18,everleaf.com) was invented specifically to go in summer spritzes. Created by a conservational biologist with a long history of botany, Everleaf uses vanilla, saffron, iris, orange blossom and more for a complex, floral note.

How to spritz it:

Use a cooled champagne flute, no ice necessary

• 1 part Everleaf

• 2 parts soda

• Garnish with an orange wedge

Muyu

Considering it only launched this February, you’d be forgiven for having missed Muyu (£28.75, whiskeyexchange.com), but given its pedigree, this one is worth paying attention to. Crafted by three world-renowned bar tenders, Monica Berg, Simone Caporale, and Alex Kretena,

Muyu was inspired by a trip to the Amazon which inspired the trio to create a liqueur based on local flavours and ingredients. It comes in three different expressions: Jasmine Verte is floral; Chinotto Nero is citrusy; Vetiver Gris is earthy.

How to spritz it:

Build in a tall glass with a few ice cubes

• One part Muyu Jasmine Verte

• Four parts champagne

Melonade

Surprising as it might sound, this little-known artisan aperitif might be the most on-brand summer drink of all time. Melonade (£16.45, whiskeyexchange.com) was designed to be served in a similar sort of way to Aperol spritz, but made from melons grown in the world’s foremost rosé-making region, Provence. It’s all terribly fashionable, don’t you know. If you’re looking for a softer touch on your palate than Aperol, look no further.

How to spritz it:

Build in a glass of your choice without ice

• Two parts Melonade

• Three parts prosecco

• Top with one part of sparkling water

• Garnish with a citrus wheel of your choice

Gin liqueur

I’m not for a minute suggesting that you should go around pouring sparkling wine into your gin, but here’s the thing: the vast majority of gin liqueurs out there are barely gin. A lot of brands just jumped on the bandwagon and called themselves gin just to capitalise on the spirit’s popularity with barely a hint of juniper. So a good few gin liqueurs actually go quite nicely in a spritz. Bristol Distilling Company’s Blush 77 (£18.00) and Berry 77 (£18.00) blends are delicious with champagne and prosecco respectively, softening out the dryness of the wine nicely.

How to spritz it:

Build in a short glass with ice

• Two parts of Blush 77/Berry 77

• Two parts champagne or prosecco

• Garnish with ice and raspberries, optional

Cocchi Rosa

For fans of vermouth, Cocchi Rosa (£18, Waitrose) might be the one for you. Combining the punchy colour of Martini Fiero and Aperol with the softer, slightly more refined taste of vermouth, this one is a delicious summer must-try. Technically you’d serve it as a highball (the term ‘spritz’ is meant to be applied to sparkling wine drinks) but it’s just as delicious.

How to spritz it:

Build in a balloon glass without ice

• Two parts of Cocchi Rosa

• Three parts premium tonic water

• Garnish with fresh strawberries and basil leaves, optional

STRYYK

If you’re the designated driver this weekend, then look at for STRYYK (£16.00, Ocado). This cool new alcohol-free brand from the inventor of Funkin, the mixer best friend of any professional bartender, is unlike other alcohol-free spirits in that it doesn’t try to be its own thing. Instead STRYYK aims to match the taste of the spirit is copying as closely as possible. For example, STRYYK uses chillis to emulate the burning sensation of a pure spirit in your throat.

How to spritz it

Use a glass of your choice

• Four parts STRYYK

• Two parts grapefruit juice

• Top up with a little elderflower cordial

• Season with a pinch of salt and top the mix with soda

• Garnish with a  mint sprig and grapefruit slice

Martini Fiero

Back when we first killed Aperol spritz, a few weeks ago, many of the bartenders we spoke to suggested Martini Fiero (£10.00, widely available) was going to be the next big thing. And to be fair, we can see it. Martini Fiero is bright, it’s bold, and it looks distinctive in the glass. The flavour is pretty good too, slightly less bitter than Aperol, but just as tangy. Unlike Aperol, it’s not designed to be consumed in a traditional spritz but it’d work as a refreshing fizz without the Prosecco.

How to spritz it:

Build in a balloon glass with ice

• Two parts of Martini Fiero

• Two parts tonic water

• Garnish with a blood orange wheel

Æcorn Aperitifs

Another alcohol-free offering but unlike STRYYK this one doesn’t set out to imitate any specific alcohol. Like its parent brand Seedlip, Æcorn’s drinks taste natural, with different flavours evoking floral or herbal tastes, each with a bitter twist.

How to spritz it:

Use a tumbler with ice

• One part Æcorn aperitif

• One part soda

• Garnish with a citrus wedge of your choice

Ketel One Botanical

Technically this one is actually a brand new spirit category but don’t worry, it’s actually more familiar than you’d think. The thing is, there are rules about what you can call certain alcohols. Gin has to be 51pc juniper based, Scotch whisky must be 40pc ABV. To call an alcohol vodka it must be 37.5pc ABV minimum. So when Ketel One created a vodka-like spirit at 30pc ABV, they had to call it something else. Since it was flavoured with botanicals such as mint and cucumber, or grapefruit and rose, they called it botanicals and this new spirit was born.

How to spritz it:

Tall glass with ice

• One part Ketel One Botanical

• Two parts soda

• Garnish with an apple or peach wedge

Rémy Martin VSOP

The more distinguished drinks connoisseur might scoff at the idea of making a spritz with their fancy cognac, but Remy Martin have taken the plunge this summer by suggesting a Rémy Martin VSOP (£35.75, whiskeyexchange.com) spritz on their official website. Pairing the cognac with the tonic and serving over ice helps lengthen the drink and make it more summery. Simple, elegant, and just that bit decadent.

How to spritz it:

Build in a cognac glass

• One part Rémy Martin VSO

• Three parts tonic

• Serve over ice with a lemon wedge to garnish