Vintage Cocktails FAQ: Aperitifs and Nightcaps What is an Aperitif? Aperitifs are cocktails served before a meal. Like well-made appetizers, they are designed to stimulate the palate, (and the appetite.) Their taste will vary, of course, but in general our classic aperitifs will remind you of a deliciously tart and tangy sherbet. The key to a successful aperitif is that it not be too sweet. Most contemporary drinks are sweet and syrupy, appealing only to those with an incorrigible sweet tooth. For example, Absolute Mandarin Vodka and Sprite, a popular combination, is not a suitable aperitif because of its high sugar content. It's spiked soda pop. Like a sweet dessert served before the main course, an overly sweet drink, rather than stimulating the palate, the appetite, and the imagination, deadens all three. Taste one of our Vintage aperitifs and you'll be startled and delighted at the difference. What is a nightcap? Until the late nineteenth century, it was quite common to climb into bed wearing a soft cap to keep your head warm. If I recall correctly, Mr. Magoo was fond of wearing one. Nowadays, “nightcap” is a rather quaint term for an After-Dinner Drink that you down just before bed to make you feel nice and cozy warm as you drift off to sleep. However, you needn’t wait until bedtime to enjoy an After-Dinner Drink or disgestif. Just wait until after you’ve finished a meal. A glass of fine port, a snifter of brandy or grappa, or an elegant cordial all make fine after-dinner drinks. Vintage Cocktails served after dinner tend to be slightly sweeter than aperitifs, but this does not mean they should be mistaken for “Dessert Drinks.” The best After-Dinner Drinks are rich and complex in flavor, yet soothing to the palate and the stomach, (which disqualifies heavy, cloying combinations such as Kahlua and Cream.)