Aperitivo

Eighteen Mediterranean herbs and bitters go into this one, which puts it squarely in aperitivo territory. Italian wine, gentian root, sweet orange, wormwood and rhubarb do the heavy lifting. The colour is that familiar Italian red, the body is velvety with real length, and red berries and rhubarb come forward before the roots deliver a bittersweet finish that hangs around properly instead of dropping off. Spritz and negroni duty is what it's built for, and it behaves like the real thing once you top it with soda or stir it into a mixed drink. Smiling Wolf distils from authentic spirit ingredients and lands at 0.5% ABV, with the brand's blend of natural nootropics and B vitamins in the mix. Low sugar and vegan friendly. Because there's no alcohol to pace yourself against, it happily runs from a long lunch into the evening.