Bark & Bitter – Novara Aperitivo

THE MOOD
Aperitivo hour, unlocked. Bitter, bright, and made to command a Negroni — the kind of thing you don't apologize for.

THE TASTE
Bitter orange leads, layered over herbal bitterness from quassia bark, gentian root, and rhubarb root. Bittersweet, structured, and long on the finish.

THE STORY
From Bark & Bitter in Niagara Falls, ON — Canadian botanical spirits makers built around real ingredients, no synthetic shortcuts. Novara is their Italian-inspired aperitivo: bitter-forward, botanically dense, and designed for proper zero-proof cocktails. Double Gold at the 2022 New Orleans Spirits Competition and Platinum + Best in Show at the 2024 LA Spirits Awards.

THE RITUAL
Build a Phony Negroni, a Novara Spritz with soda or an NA sparkling wine, or serve simply over ice with an orange twist. Treat it as you would Campari or Aperol.

FIZZ NOTES
Bitter orange • Herbal • Rhubarb • Aperitivo • Award-winning

Water, sugar, non-alcoholic citrus distillate, spices, citric acid, potassium sorbate (preservative), allura red (colour)

Bitter orange • Layered herbal bitterness • Rhubarb root • Gentian • Long finish