Before the modern Martini and Vesper came along, drinks calling for “Kina” or quinquina relied on aromatized wines flavored with quinine bark, a bittering agent originally used in tonic and medicinal wines. When quinine fell out of favor in many formulas, Cocchi Americano quietly became the closest living descendant of that historic style, which is why cocktail historians often reach for it when recreating early 20th-century recipes.

Produced in Asti in Piedmont since 1891, Cocchi Americano begins with a Moscato-based wine infused with botanicals including cinchona (quinine), citrus peel, gentian, and alpine herbs. The result sits somewhere between vermouth and aperitivo—aromatic and wine-driven, but with a distinctly bittersweet backbone.

Bright and lifted in the glass, you’ll find citrus zest, white flowers, stone fruit, and a gentle quinine bitterness that keeps the finish crisp and refreshing.

Traditionally served chilled with soda and a slice of citrus, it’s also a secret weapon in classic cocktails, notably the Negroni Bianco (White Negroni) and most famously as the closest modern stand-in for Kina Lillet in the original Vesper.