Italicus Cocktail – A Bergamot & Camomile Gin Sour

This Italicus cocktail contains the exotic flavours of bergamot and camomile. It may look like a classic gin sour cocktail, but the flavours are sure to surprise, delight and seriously impress.

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When it comes to ordering cocktails in bars I’ll always be swayed by intriguing flavours and ingredients that I’ve not come across before. This habit often leads to me expand my collection of spirits and liqueurs but it also means I get the chance to be creative with these new ingredients at home. That’s exactly how this Italicus cocktail came to be.

I first ran into Italicus Rosolio Di Bergamotto a few years ago at a cocktail bar in London. It’s hard to miss because it comes in a particularly noticeable aqua coloured bottle. Naturally, I was desperate to try it.

I’m pleased to be presenting this Italicus cocktail for several reasons. It’s not only beautiful to look at, smell and taste, but it also offers an introduction to a lesser-known but exceedingly charming liqueur. Oh and I’ve always wanted to come up with a camomile cocktail too. Bonus!

What is Italicus

According to the bartender who mixed my first Italicus cocktail, it is a citrussy drink originating from Italy. Well, he wasn’t wrong. But there’s more to Italicus than just citrus. Here’s are few facts:

• Italicus is a rosolio – a relatively light Italian liqueur (ABV 20%) often served as an aperitif
• It is flavoured with bergamot (a citrus fruit native to southern Italy) which, incidentally, is also a key flavour in Earl Grey tea. So if the smell seems vaguely familiar, perhaps this is why
• Also in the mix is camomile, lavender, rose petals, aromatic herbs and gentian root
• Tastewise, expect ripe citrus and a slight bitterness underlying the sweetness of this liqueur
• It is often served neat, over ice or used to replace the Aperol in a Spritz

Why this Camomile Cocktail is Special?

Quite simply, how often do you get to enjoy flavours such as bergamot and camomile other than in tea? Bergamot, in particular, sounds adventurous, mysterious and somewhat out of reach for the average person. Yet here are both flavours in cocktail form.

This Italicus cocktail really does bring plenty of excitement to the table. It’s a libation that could, looks-wise, easily be mistaken for a straight gin sour, so go ahead and impress unsuspecting guests with a completely unexpected flavour profile.

The dehydrated lemon wheels, pictured here too, make a very elegant adornment to this extraordinary cocktail, giving it a visual wow-factor. I’ve included details to make these, but they are optional.

Ingredients

There is no substitute for Italicus Rosolio Di Bergamotto and although it is hard to spot in stores, luckily, it’s easy to purchase online.

The camomile syrup is homemade but is very quick and simple to prepare. It can be made using either tea bags or dried camomile flowers.

A dry gin is the best type of gin to use in this recipe. Avoid any flavoured gins at all costs when making this recipe.

Step by Step Instructions

Full instructions and measurements are given in the printable recipe card at the end of this post.

1. Pour freshly boiled water into a pan containing the tea and let steep

2. Remove the tea, add sugar and heat to dissolve. Chill until required

3. Pour all cocktail ingredients into a cocktail shaker and dry shake (without ice) for 30 seconds

4. Add ice and shake for another 30 seconds

5. Strain into a cocktail glass, garnish with a dehydrated lemon wheel (or spirals of orange or lemon zest) and serve

How to Make Dehydrated Lemon Wheels for Garnishing

Dehydrated lemon wheels (or any citrus wheels) make fantastic garnishes for drinks, cakes and tarts or just for decorating your house at Christmas-time. They are incredibly easy to make:

1. Thinly slice 1 or 2 lemons (¼cm thick) and lay them onto an oven-proof wire rack suspended over a baking sheet
2. Bake at 50C/ 100F (or your oven’s lowest setting) for 5-6 hours, turning every 90 minutes, until completely dried out
3. Let cool completely then store in a sealable glass jar for up to 1 month

Don’t miss the short video near the top of this post to see them being made.

Expert Tips

• Make the camomile syrup the day before to get ahead if desired – it stays fresh for up to 3 weeks
• The flavour profile of this Italicus cocktail means that most gins, especially London dry gins – be them citrussy, floral or herbaceous – should work well
• Perhaps avoid using more bespoke gins such as Old Tom or Genever
• And definitely do not use fruit flavoured gins (e.g blackberry, rhubarb etc…) in this recipe. It will up-skittle the balance of flavours in both the cocktail and the fruity gin
• After the dry shake take a taste of the drink and add a little more syrup if it is too sour for your tastes
• If using dehydrated lemon wheels for garnish note that they do need to bake at a very low temperature for around 6 hours, so make them in advance
• Alternatively, use spirals of lemon zest or a few dried camomile flowers to garnish the drink instead

Frequently Asked Questions

More Sour Cocktail Recipes to Try

If you have tried this bergamot and camomile cocktail please give it a rating or comment. I love to hear how you get along with my creations.

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