You can always use the best Cocchi Americano substitute to save the day. From a high-quality amaro to a fancy French wine, we list the top alternatives that almost match Cocchi Americano’s flavor and aroma.
Read on to find out what they are!
| Substitute Name | Editor’s Taste Rating (1-10) | Similarity to Cocchi Americano (1-10) | Overall Satisfaction (1-10) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amaro Angeleno | 9 | 8 | 9 |
| Salers Aperitif | 7 | 6 | 7 |
| Kina L’Avion d’Or | 8 | 9 | 8 |
| Reserve Jean De Lillet | 8 | 7 | 8 |
| St. Germain with Angostura Bitters | 7 | 6 | 7 |
When you hear “Americano,” the first thing that may come to mind is a bitter alcohol without any frills or a strong caffeinated drink. However, one particular beverage deserves your attention, especially if you’re a bartender or wine enthusiast: Cocchi Americano!
While this amazing liqueur is gaining popularity in bars and liqueur cabinets at home, we understand you might not have any.
But don’t cry in despair if your recipe needs it or you’d like to serve something similar to dinner to guests!
What Is Cocchi Americano?
Cocchi Americano is an Italian aperitif, an aromatized white wine infused with fruits, botanicals, and herbs. Giulio Cocchi invented this liqueur in Asti, Italy, in 1891. Since its invention over 130 years ago, the production still uses the original recipe!
Fun fact: The correct pronunciation of “Cocchi” is “coke-ey,” not “ko-chi.” Interestingly, Cocchi Americano gained recognition in the mid-2010s after the discontinuation of Kina Lillet. Bartenders and wine experts discovered its delightful qualities, especially when mixed with Campari and soda (*).
This liqueur is flavored with quinine, giving the tonic a distinct flavor! To be more specific, there are botanicals like citrus, gentian, and cinchona. Of course, the complete recipe is a secret!
Because of that, Cocchi Americano is best known as the best Kina Lillet substitute, offering a quinine-flavored fortified wine slightly sweeter than Lillet Blanc. Surprisingly, it only contains about 95 calories per serving, making it an excellent choice for health-conscious individuals.
Fun fact: Cocchi Americano has about 95 calories per serving, so we consider it a low-calorie drink.
What Flavour is Cocchi Americano?
Think of the Cocchi Americano as white vermouth with a finish of bitter herbal notes, offering a sweet and honeyed flavor. You can also expect citrus notes and a butter gentian finish. Since it’s made of Moscato wine, it’s sweeter than the Lillet Blanc and dry vermouth.
Fun fact: Cocchi Americano has a 16.5% ABV, so we consider this in the mid-range level of alcohol content.
Beyond being an underdog, Cocchi Americano has emerged as an independent wine you can enjoy or incorporate into various cocktails. However, if you find yourself without this liqueur, fear not! We have compiled a list of top alternatives that closely match the flavor and aroma of Cocchi Americano:
Top 5 Substitutes For Cocchi Americano
Here’s a table comparing the key attributes of each Cocchi Americano substitute:
| Substitute Name | Flavor Profile | Main Ingredients | Suggested Cocktail Pairings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amaro Angeleno | Bright and Sweet with Slight Bitter Notes | Pinot Grigio, Brandy, Gentian, Citrus, Thyme, Verbena | Vesper Martini, White Negroni, Corpse Reviver No 2 |
| Salers Aperitif | Bittersweet with Citrus and Lemon Undertones | Gentiana, Neutral Spirits | Vesper, Negroni, Boulevardier |
| Kina L’Avion d’Or | Bitter and Sweet with Quinine Influence | Quinine, Spices, Wine | Classic Americano, Kina Spritz, French 75 |
| Reserve Jean De Lillet | Bittersweet with Orange Flavors | Bitter and Sweet Orange from Sauternes | Lillet Blanc & Tonic, French Martini, Jasmine |
| St. Germain with Angostura Bitters | Aromatic Floral with Spicy Notes | Elderflowers, Sugar, Angostura Bitters | St. Germain Spritz, Elderflower Collins, Aviation |
1. Amaro Angeleno: Vibrant Californian Twist
Amaro Angeleno is a Los Angeles alcoholic beverage made of Pinot Grigio and brandy. Furthermore, this drink contains locally grown herbs like gentian, citrus, thyme, and verbena.
The liqueur features a bright yellow color with hints of orange peel, tasting sweet and delivering a slightly bitter taste, making it well-balanced. Because of that, the Amero Angeleno makes an excellent Cocchi Americano substitute.
You can use equal amounts of the Amaro Angeleno to replace Cocchi Americano.
2. Salers Aperitif: Aromatic Alternative
The Salers Aperitif has been around since 1885, considered one of France’s oldest aperitif drinks. It dons a bittersweet flavor with hints of citrus and lemon. The maceration of neutral spirits is made using Gentiana, a bitter herb. After that, this liqueur rests in Limousin oak barrels, contributing to its flavor.
You can use Salers Aperitif as a Cocchi Americano substitute in cocktails like Vesper. Like Amaro Angeleno, you can use the same amount a recipe calls for.
3. Kina L’Avion d’Or: French Elegance
Kina L’Avion d’Or is a French aperitif almost similar to the Kina Lillet. As such, it works as a Cocchi Americano substitute! This liqueur offers much quinine, a significant component of Cocchi Americano.
Fun fact: Kina L’Avion d’Or is a French name translating to “golden airplane bitter” in English.
We appreciate this liqueur’s bitter and sweet taste, which works in most recipes that call for the Cocchi Americano. Use an equal ratio when using Kina L’Avion d’Or!
4. Reserve Jean De Lillet: Refined Rival
This is a French wine with similar flavors to Cocchi Americano, having bittersweet flavors. The Reserve Jean De Lillet is made of bitter and sweet orange from single-vintage Sauternes. Because of its flavor similarity with Cocchi Americano, you can use a 1:1 ratio in most cocktail recipes.
5. St. Germain with Angostura Bitters: Aromatic Fusion
St. Germain is a French liqueur made of elderflowers, macerated and mixed with sugar before the distillation process. As a result, you get an aromatic floral alcoholic beverage! (*)
You can mix this sweet liqueur with Angostura bitters to get a more accurate flavor than Cocchi Americano.
These Cocchi Americano substitutes can be enjoyed in cocktails that traditionally call for the original liqueur, or you can savor their unique flavors on their own!
Popular Cocktails Featuring Cocchi Americano:
While you can enjoy Cocchi Americano on its own as an aperitif (sometimes with a twist of orange peel), many cocktails feature the Cocchi Americano, such as:
- The Vesper Martini (which originally used Kina Lillet)
- White Negroni
- Corpse Reviver No 2
- Cocchi Spritz
- The Blind Side
- And tons more!
Fun Fact: Cocchi Americano is best known for its role in the traditional Americano cocktail, typically mixed with Campari and a splash of soda.
While we don’t find Cocchi Americano in many baked goods or dishes, you may want to try cooking with it as you would with white wine.
Frequently Asked Questions
For those who have more questions surrounding the Cocchi Americano, check these out:
What’s the difference between Cocchi Americano and vermouth?
Cocchi Americano is an aromatized wine, meaning it’s fortified with brandy and then infused with botanicals, fruits, herbs, and spices. On the other hand, vermouth is a merely fortified wine, so there aren’t any extra flavors added.
You can still use Cocchi Americano as a white vermouth substitute or vice versa. This aromatized wine is not vermouth or amaro but a Blanco or blanc.
Fact: If you’re interested in amaro, the Cocchi company offers another type of liqueur called “Cocchi Americano Rosa,” which is more bitter and aromatic than the original white Cocchi Americano.
What is the difference between Lillet and Cocchi Americano?
Both Lillet and Cocchi Americano are aperitif wines, they offer unique taste experiences due to their different ingredients, origins, and production methods. Choosing between the two will depend on personal preference and the desired flavor profile for cocktails or aperitif sipping.
Wrapping It Up
If you’re searching for Cocchi Americano in your local liqueur store or kitchen and come up empty-handed, fear not! There are plenty of alternatives readily available. Some may even be hiding in your kitchen!
We trust that this article on the best Cocchi Americano substitutes has been helpful to you. With this knowledge, you can confidently replace this liqueur in your recipes and cocktails.
Explore our other blog posts if you crave more informative content on food substitutions and your favorite ingredients.
Up Next: The Perfect Lillet Blanc Substitute
