Some spritzes are almost too easy to sip. Not particularly sweet, the Cynar Spritz isn’t one of those spritzes. And, yet, we fell for the surprisingly earthy spritz during an extended aperitivo session during our most recent visit to Italy.

We assumed that languorous Venice cicchetti bar encounter would be the end of our Cynar Spritz affair but we were wrong. As it turns out, Cynar is easy to find at liquor stores both in Portugal and the US. And, like all classic spritzes, this Italian cocktail is super easy to make at home.

The Cynar Spritz is a bubbly cocktail that’s made with a 3:2:1 ratio of chilled prosecco, Cynar and fizzy water. Ice and an orange garnish complete the recipe.

Compared to other spritzes, the Cynar Spritz skews earthy and lightly bitter. It’s also far less sweet than the globally popular Aperol Spritz.

You need the following ingredients to craft a Cynar Spritz at home:

Ingredient quantities are detailed in the printable recipe card below.

Cynar is notable for its unlikely namesake ingredient, which happens to be the artichoke. The Latin word for artichoke is cynara, which is where the liqueur gets its name. Italians have been eating artichokes for centuries, though drinking them is a relatively new concept.

Rino Dondi Pinto had the foresight to combine the thistle’s leaves with 13 botanicals while working at a Padua distillery during the 1940s. After debuting in 1952, Cynar is now part of the Campari empire and a staple at Italian bars.

Especially popular during aperitivo sessions in Veneto cities like Venice, Cynar has a vegetal flavor that reminds us of root beer. But the brown amaro isn’t just that one note. It’s also bittersweet and has a kick thanks to its 16.5% ABV.

Cynar Pronunciation
Cynar is pronounced CHEE-nar. Following Italian pronunciation rules, the “cy” makes a “ch” sound similar to the Italian word ciao.

The first step in this Cynar Spritz recipe is to open a chilled prosecco bottle. Do this carefully by placing your thumb across the top of the bottle to avoid an annoying mess or, even worse, an eye injury.

Measure the prosecco and Cynar. Immediately pour both liquids into a wine glass. We use a Japanese jigger for this step to ensure accurate measuerements and minimize spillage.

Buy a Japanese jigger from Amazon if you need a jigger or want an inexpensive upgrade.

Fill the glass half way with ice.

Gently stir the liquids with a bar spoon.

Top the glass with chilled sparkling water and garnish with an orange wedge or wheel.

Cynar Spritz Garnish Options
You can alternatively garnish your Cynar Spritz with a lemon slice or a green olive.

Serve the crafted Cynar Spritz with olives and other nibbles.

The Cynar Spritz is bitter but not aggressively so. It sits somewhere between the gentle sweetness of the Aperol Spritz and the full bitter punch of the Campari Spritz.

The spritz’s earthiness, which reminds us of root beer, softens its herbaceous bitterness. In fact, we were initially surprised by the vegetal flavor. However, although it’s a complex drink, we had no challenge sipping our intitial Cynar Spritz until the glass was empty

Aperol and Cynar are both Italian aperitivo liqueurs but they taste quite different. Aperol is sweeter, more citrus-forward and lower in alcohol with an 11% ABV. Cynar is drier, earthier, and stronger with a 16.5% ABV.

The Aperol Spritz is easier to sip. Plus, it’s vibfrantly orange. Despite its brown color, the Cynar Spritz is a better pick if you prefer a drink with less sweetness and more complexity.

Daryl and Mindi Hirsch

Saveur Magazine’s BEST TRAVEL BLOG award winners Daryl and Mindi Hirsch share their culinary travel experiences and recipes on their website 2foodtrippers. Since launching the site in 2012, they’ve traveled to over 40 countries in their quest to bring readers a unique taste of the world.