Italian Orange and Tonic — The zero-proof bitter orange aperitif, long over tonic

Italian Orange and Tonic

The zero-proof bitter orange aperitif, long over tonic

Number of people

Ingredients

  • 3 1/2 ozTonic Water
    Ice-cold, over a full glass of ice
    Substitute: Soda water, for a drier glass
  • 1 3/4 ozLyre's Italian Orange
    A zero-proof bitter orange aperitif
    Substitute: Another non-alcoholic aperitivo

Instructions

  1. Fill a wine glass with ice
  2. Pour 1 3/4 oz Lyre's Italian Orange over the ice and top with 3 1/2 oz cold tonic
  3. Stir once and garnish with a slice of orange

Technique Notes

Fill the glass with ice before anything else. A non-alcoholic aperitif has no spirit warmth to lose, so the only thing that keeps it tasting like a drink rather than a soft drink is being properly cold.

Why the Italian Orange and Tonic Works

Bitter orange without alcohol has nothing to hide behind, so the tonic matters more here than it would in a spritz. Quinine supplies the dryness the missing spirit would have, and the drink falls apart if the tonic is a sweet one.