When you hear Americano, the first thing that comes to mind would probably be the bitter alcohol without any extras. Or, you’re probably thinking of the strong caffeinated drink!
However, there’s one particular drink worth remembering and trying out, especially since it’s gaining the attention of bartenders and wine lovers: 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!
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 down the top alternatives that almost match Cocchi Americano’s flavor and aroma.
Read on to find out what they are!
Top 5 Substitutes For 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: You pronounce Cocchi as “coke-ey,” not “ko-chi!” This liqueur has been around since 1891 but only gained recognition in the mid-2010s after the discontinuation of the Kina Lillet. Bartenders and wine experts discovered Cocchi Americano, which used to be known to mix with Campari and soda.(*)
This liqueur is flavored with quinine, which is what gives the tonic that distinct flavor! To be a bit 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, a quinine-flavored fortified wine. After Kina Lillet’s discontinuation, Cocchi Americano is a handy substitute for Lillet Blanc, though a slightly sweeter version.
Fun fact: Cocchi Americano has about 95 calories per serving, which is why we consider it a low-calorie drink.
But it’s done being the underdog and making its way to bar shelves as an independent wine you can drink on its own or in cocktails. If you don’t have any of this liqueur on hand, here are the other liqueurs and food ingredients you can use in its place:
1. Amaro Angeleno
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
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
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 a large amount of 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
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, made 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
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.
All of these Cocchi Americano substitutes can be used in cocktails that call for the wine or enjoyed on their own!
Frequently Asked Questions
For those who have more questions surrounding the Cocchi Americano, check these out:
1. What cocktails use the 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 for the traditional Americano cocktail, mixing it 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.
2. 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.
That said, 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.
Fun fact: If you’re looking for an amaro, the Cocchi company also offers this type of liqueur, called the “Cocchi Americano Rosa.” It’s more bitter and aromatic than the original white Cocchi Americano.
3. What’s the flavor of 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.
Wrapping It Up
If you can’t find a bottle of Cocchi Americano in your local liqueur store or kitchen, there are alternatives you can use. You can find some of these substitutes readily available in liqueur stores, or you probably have them in your kitchen already!
We hope that this article on the best Cocchi Americano helped you out! Now that you know what to use to replace this liqueur, learn more about food substitutions and your favorite ingredients in our other blog posts.
Up Next: The Best Substitute For Orgeat Syrup
