James Bond's influence on cocktail culture cannot be overstated, from the Martini (shaken, not stirred) to the Vesper. But the Americano is Bond's first drink order in "Casino Royale," Ian Fleming's 1953 book that launched the series, and the cocktail appears in later novels. The James caught on to the Americano, but the cocktail predated Bond by nearly a century.

Americano was first served in the 1860s at Gaspare Campari's bar in Milan, Italy. The drink, which contains equal parts Campari and sweet vermouth infused with sparkling water, is a lighter version of the Milano-Torino, which contained Campari and sweet vermouth without the water. It is believed that the name originates from its popularity among American tourists. And it's possible that the name didn't stick until the Prohibition era, when Americans fled to Europe in droves, thirsty for good drinks.

The Americano is also the forerunner of the Negroni. As the story goes, the Negroni was invented by the Italian count Camillo Negroni in Florence in the early 20th century when he asked a bartender to replace the soda water with gin in his Americano.

Since the cocktail only has three ingredients, it is important that each ingredient is of the highest quality. Campari and soda are a given, but what about Vemouth? 

9diDANTE vermouths were dreamed up at the foot of the Piedmont hills, in the area where already in the 18th century have dominated the art of making vermouth since the 19th century, when it became the master of social drinks at the court of the Savoy kings.

9diDANTE is one of the few vermouths produced and bottled according to the SUPERIORE classification, so it is blended exclusively with Piemonte DOC wines.

Inferno Rosso Vermouth is made using an equal blend of Dolcetto red and Cortese white wines, which allows the charismatic ruby ​​red color to be achieved naturally and avoids the use of caramel coloring.

The Americano is a low-alcohol and easy-drinking cocktail, with its bittersweet, bubbly taste, and it's understandable why counts and agents loved the classic drink.

This April, with the support of 9diDANTE, we are organizing Budapest's first Americano cocktail promotion event, Make Americano Great Again.

Budapest's well-known bars participate in the event and prepare an Americano cocktail based on an original recipe, as well as two new twists they dreamed up.

BABA Budapest

Barside Budapest

BESTIA

Black Swan Lab

Blue Fox The Bar

Bombay Budapest

Boutiq' Bar

Flava Kitchen&More

FELIX Kitchen&Bar

Hudson Bar

LEO Bistro&Rooftop Bar

Mitico Budapest

PPC Budapest

Seven Cocktail Bar

Sfinx Gin&Wine Bar

St. Andrea Wine&Skybar

TOKIO Budapest

Tom George Osteria

Yama Budapest

Let’s Make Americano Great Again!