If you haven’t stumbled across Aperol in the past 12 months, you have been living under a rock or drinking in the wrong bars. The Aperol Spritz wave that has crashed through bars and restaurants is even bringing the colour orange back into fashion. Yes, it’s an aperitif, and no, you don’t have to be wearing sunglasses and oozing Italian-chic to drink it. You simply need 3 parts Prosecco, 2 parts Aperol, a slice of orange and 1 part soda water over ice in a large wine glass.
An Italian staple since the early 20th Century, we have the Barbieri Brothers to thank for elevating this aperitif’s profile. A secret recipe and some old school marketing helped to spread the word – Aperol was touted as the ‘drink to help you stay in shape’ for Italian women in the 1930s. Nowadays, its makers are placing more of a focus on getting us to enjoy the Spritz regardless of time, location, or indeed, your weight.
So, if you would like to conjure up the atmosphere of an Italian piazza, whether out and about or in the comfort of your own home, all you need to do is answer the question in the comments field below to win all you need to make the perfect Aperol Spritz.
Aperol Spritz is an undeniably cool drink, but you’ll need an equally cool drinking companion to complete the effect.
Q: Which person – alive or dead, real or fictional – defines cool for you and would make the ideal drinking partner?
Leave your answer below by February 28th and we’ll pick one lucky person to win everything you need to make cool happen in a glass.
Terms and Conditions
- Competition is open to UK residents aged 18 and over. Proof of age required to claim prize. Only one entry per person. Prizes are non-transferable, non-negotiable and no cash alternatives will be offered. No purchase necessary. Our decision is final.
Harry Dean Stanton.
Paris, Texas. Repo Man. Cool Hand Luke. Wild at Heart.
The man’s a god in a crumpled suit.
Steve Zissou of The Life Aquatic fame!
Somehow (and this is the eternal student in me talking), Withnail would still be at the top of my list as the ideal drinking partner. Anyone that demands the finest wines available to humanity is good in my books (even though the reality may be a £4.99 bottle of plonk from the corner shop, served with a raw potato).
Dorothy Parker. Her acerbic wit and legendary drinking capacity would make her the coolest person I could imagine for a night of cocktails.
Marcello Mastroianni – the king of Cool Italia…
Got to be Emma Peel, from 1960s TV programme The Avengers. Funny, saucy, and the epitome of cool.
Nick Cave, seems like the sort f drink he’d enjoy.
Has to be Fraser Allen I’m afraid, if only to see his face light up as alcohol enters his blood stream yet again. Haven’t had that pleasure for a while. Failing Fallen, another Scots – Sean Connery of Dr No vintage. Pours himself a glass of Aperol, goes through into the Japanese girl’s bedroom to join me as we wait together for her return, with Walther PPks at the ready and 60s suits so sharp they can cut.
Thanks Bruce, fiver in the post.
Iris Apfel! An absolute Icon.
Bryan Ferry- ultimate cool and a true gent!
Leonard Cohen
Carl Frederickson from Up. He would have cool tales to tell from his adventures to Paradise Falls.
Steve McQueen would be enjoying that Aperol Spritz on the Italian Piazza; he was born with shades on needs his thirst quenched; with the Mustang parked nearby a clean get away would be inevitable!
Bruce Willis, to see that cheeky grin up close would be very nice.
I may be shot down in flames for this, but for me you don’t get much cooler than William Shakespeare. Wow, what a drinking partner that would be.
BRUCE WILLIS ALL THE WAY FOR ME
Billy Connolly, he would keep you laughing :)
Without a doubt, my ideal drinking partner would be Cicero – the first great Roman orator. His style of oratory and debating still blows my mind!! He has hugely inspired me in my career.
Chuck Norris
Elvis – the king of cool
Steve McQueen
Bob Dylan
Bob Marley
It’s got to be Sophia Loren. She would tell great stories, she’s the epitome of Italian cool and these days she even matches the colour of the bottle!
Nikki Sixx, after reading some of his exploits, it certainly wouldn’t be a boring night!
i would love to drink with Stephen Fry..<3
James dean!
Luciano Pavarotti
Gotta be Oscar Wilde! The guy was funny, witty and insanely intelligent as well as a little sarcastic and mischievous…what more could you want?
Kurt Cobain
Catherine Zeta Jones
Nick Clegg – looks like he knows how to party
Stewie from Family Guy, it would bring out his evil side even more!
stephen fry for his wit and wealth of knowledge.
Miranda ! she may appear to be ditsy but i think she is a very intelligent woman who you could have along chat with also she is such fun !!
My ideal drinking partner would be Ernest Hemingway. He would have appreciated a glass of Aperol, prosecco and soda water (well probably no soda water) while watching the sun set over Key West.
Lord Byron, enough said.
Oscar Wilde, from the days when wit was not a sin, but unfortunately other things were.
Fearne Cotton – looks fab without trying too hard – even looks good heavily pregnant!
Sophia Loren – Italian and I’d love to learn her beauty secrets
Clint Eastwood, he’s really cool!
David Bowie – an utter genius, and bound to be a very fun drinking partner
Patrick Jane in The Mentalist, cool as the proverbial cucumber and pretty easy on the eye too :-)
Samuel L cool jackson
dean martin for a sophiosticated ambience
Jack Sparrow!!
The ultimate rum drinking partner
Patrick McGoohan as Number 6 in The Prisoner. Absolutely everything about that character was cool.
Jason Bourne
Lloyd Christmas. In THAT orange tux. In Aspen.
Patsy Stone. I’d have the spritz and she’d have her usual stolly bolly. Cheers darling!
I think having a drinking partner like Jay-z would definitely liven up any boring pub, club or bar. Drinks would be flowing all night and there wouldn’t be any awkward drunken karaoke.
Bob Marley!
Ty burrell- from modern family. I’d love to have a few drinks with him.
Wouldn’t mind a few drinks with the uber cool Leonardo Dicaprio ;)
Oliver Reed – The ultimate drinking buddy
keith moon, coolest guy ever
Kevin Spacey – he defines cool because he always has a confident half-smile on his lips and a charismatic twinkle in his eye!
Sherlock Holmes. x
Cary Grant – suave and sophisticated. They don’t make them like that anymore.
You first have to decide what cool means. For me that’s someone that can effortlessly charm you, whilst making conversation about any topic and also not being an idiot. There’s one person that fits this category and sitting with him would be an honour. David Attenborough
Would have to be Dave Grohl for me. #howcoolisthisman
doctor sheldon cooper :D
Jon Bon Jovi, what a legend!
Julius Caesar, all that innovation and development, bet the poor chap never did get to sit down and catch up over a glass or 2!
Stephen Fry- would make very interesting conversation!
The Swedish king would definitely have some good stories, and he seems like a good drinker.
I would love to share a glass with Frank Sinatra, to find out about what really happened with the mob
ricky gervais favour of all
Think it would have to be Helena Bonham Carter , just as mad as a box of frogs plus Tim Burton might come along too !
I would choose the uber cool celebs Lauren Goodger, Lauren Pope and Amy Childs so I could compare the colour of their skin against the colour of my drink and decide who was orangest….
Christian Ronaldo … Mr. Cool himself and we could sit and took footie all night and seeing as he doesn’t drink alcohol there would be more for me!!!
Kylie – just so nice and gorgeous!
Old Blue Eyes himself – Frank Sinatra – could keep me entertained with his rat pack stories!
Oscar Wilde for a few absinthes
Congratulations to Lelde Benke, winner of our Aperol Spritz competition. Here in the Hot Rum Cow office, we agreed that sharing one of these delicious drinks with Patsy Stone would likely result in a night you wouldn’t forget. Cheers darling!