An easy and sunny non-alcoholic floral grapefruit spritz

Tonight’s the night.

Operation Aperitivo Hour.

My mission? To indulge in Martini’s Floreale non-alcoholic aperitif alongside a selection of salty, savoury, thirst-inducing snacks.

Martini’s dry vermouth-like counterpart to Vibrante (see review here), Floreale boasts the same Mediterranean redolence with a slightly more botanical bouquet thanks, no doubt, to the infusion of chamomile.

Tonight, I’d try something I’d never tried before:

An alcohol-free martini.

Ahh, the martini. The go-to drink for grey-haired residents of Palm Springs, regulars of underground jazz clubs, and globe-trotting super spies alike.

Anybody who calls themself a martini drinker has a particular way they like it made. Whether it’s with vodka or gin, burnt (with a scotch rinse), dirty (olive juice), dry (a little dry vermouth), wet (a lot of dry vermouth) – the list goes on – it is a drink as unique as its drinker. (I’m not going to entertain a discussion of the so-called martinis made with Sour Puss and its ilk.) And then there’s how it’s mixed.

Bartenders since the beginning of time (or the invention of the martini, whichever came first) have debated the importance of the correct method. Shaking is discouraged by some out of fear of “bruising” the gin. (Whatever that means.) Yet stirring doesn’t create the ice chips that some consider an integral part of the drink. And then there’s the garnish.

Unlike with Canada’s national cocktail, the garnish is not the focus of the martini. Pickled onion, cocktail olive, simple lemon twist; there’s no right or wrong answer – as long as its purpose is to complement the drink, not to garner likes on Instagram.

All this to say that if I want to mix a non-alcoholic martini and garnish it with an orange cheek, I’m well within my rights.

And so, with the table laid, only one thing remained.

I combined two ounces of non-alcoholic gin to one ounce of Floreale in a cocktail shaker, added cubes, and shook vigorously until my partner rolled her eyes. I strained à la Hawthorne into a chilled martini glass, rubbed the rim with the orange cheek, and dropped it in.

The result? Well, it looked like a martini. But it didn’t taste like one. To be honest, I blame the gin. The pine-heavy nose on the brand I used bespoke “cabin in the woods” more than “sun-soaked Italian villa.” (And to be fair, Martini doesn’t market Floreale as a vermouth, but as an aperitivo.)

Undaunted, I tried a different approach: two ounces Floreale to one ounce fresh-squeezed orange juice.

The citrus complemented the herbal aromas, accentuated the delicate floral flavours, and balanced the bitter finish. I had to remind my partner that it was a drink, not a shot.

But before long, I was dispatched back to the bar.

Intending to make a longer drink, I poured an ounce and a half into a Collins glass, filled it with ice, topped it with grapefruit-flavoured sparkling water, and stirred. A slice of grapefruit makes the perfect garnish.

It was simple, yet effective. The aromas mingled perfectly. The sparkling water enlivened the heady botanicals. Each sip finished satisfyingly dry like an Americano cocktail.

I made myself one too. Neither lasted long.

I’d found my aperitivo.

Mission accomplished.

⏤

Florale e Pompelmo

Ingredients

Martini Floreale 45 ml (1.5 oz)
Grapefruit-flavoured sparkling water 180 ml (6 oz)
Ice
Grapefruit slice

Preparation

Pour Florale into a Collins glass
Fill with ice
Top with sparkling water
Stir
Garnish with grapefruit slice

Cin cin!

Liam Ford, Contributor

Liam is a poet, writer, and editor with a decade of experience as a bartender under his belt. His mission? To find an alcohol-free craft beer that satisfies his craving for hops.

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