This bittersweet cocktail from Gramercy Tavern is a variation on a Negroni, with Aperol instead of Campari and a dash of herbal yellow Chartreuse. More

Aldea's Brian Block makes this delectable variation on the classic Negroni, using Punt e Mes Italian vermouth, Aperol, and cocoa-nib infused gin. More

This cocktail from James Stuart at The Trilby is a pretty sight, with a vivid red layer of bittersweet orangey liqueur at the bottom. It tastes a bit like a boozy Italian soda. More

This fragrant cocktail balances delicate Hendricks gin with Lillet Blanc and Aperol. It's a lightly citrusy and herbal summer variation on the classic Negroni. More

The Aperol Spritz is a bit more adult than a soda, but still sweet and friendly, orange-and-rhubarb flavored with just a hint of grapefruit-rind bitterness. More

Created by New York bartender and consultant Willy Shine, the Two-One-Two is brilliantly simple, yet has an engagingly complex flavor. Composed of a base of reposado tequila—Partida, one of the better brands to emerge in recent years, is recommended here—the Two-One-Two includes a couple of the agave spirit's most agreeable companions: fresh grapefruit juice, and the Italian amaro Aperol, a bright, bitter liqueur rich with orange peel and rhubarb. More

The drinks in the whiskey chapter of Food & Wine Cocktails 2011 range from spicy-rich cocktails featuring Angostura bitters, Chartreuse or ginger beer to lighter, fruity concoctions featuring fresh citrus and mint. The Descanso Beach Smash is one of the latter, spiked with the spicy flavor of rye and bitter Aperol. Created by Coltharp while he was vacationing near Catalina Island, it has the lightness you want in a drink by the pool but without the cloying sweetness so often associated with "vacation" cocktails. More

This recipe from Chris Hannah of French 75 Bar in New Orleans was chosen as one of the 101 Best New Cocktails to be included in Gaz Regan's 2011 Annual Manual for Bartenders. More

Credited to Philadelphia bartender Colin Shearn of Franklin Mortgage & Investment Co., the Restraining Order is based on the mellow, vegetal character of reposado tequila. Shearn complements the tequila with a dose of Aperol, a bright, low-alcohol aperitif liqueur with a potent, complex flavor dominated by bitter oranges and rhubarb. Accented with several dashes of celery bitters and a big squeeze of orange peel atop the finished cocktail, the drink has a powerful pop of herbaceous flavor and a delicate, nuanced balance. More

Let's start the weekend right—with a cocktail recipe from Paul Clarke (The Cocktail Chronicles). Need more than one? Hit up the archives. Cheers! With a few isolated exceptions across the country—grab a sweater, Minneapolis and San Francisco—it’s pretty warm out... More