Campari is testing selling Aperol in China as the Italian spirits group looks to its photogenic orange-flavoured aperitif to revive sales hit by the coronavirus pandemic.

Since arriving in a small town near Venice five years ago, there is one part of my daily routine that hasn’t changed. As the heat of a summer day begins to abate around 7pm, I sit outside my local bar in the piazza with a tumbler of bright orange spritz and a plate of pre-dinner snacks selected from the free buffet, meeting friends or simply enjoying the convivial atmosphere.

Low in alcohol, pleasantly citrusy and slightly bitter, Aperol is well on its way to being the world’s favourite aperitivo. If you want to join the trend and order one of these pretty orange drinks at a bar, you may as well know the history to impress the cocktail snobs.