Wilfred’s Aperitif review walks through all the mocktails tested and photos of the final products. After testing, I am happy to report that Wilfred’s is now on my list of go-to non-alcoholic aperitifs. It has an invigorating flavor that’s both sweet and bitter, with a hint of herbal aromatics.
Wilfred’s Aperitif is made in London, founded by an inventor who wanted to design a new spritz. Goal achieved: this aperitif, combined with tonic water, makes a very delicious but uniquely flavored spritz.
Bottom line: Wilfred’s Non-Alcoholic Aperitif is bold but balanced in flavor, and it makes delicious mocktails, as evidenced by the tested drinks below.
Sweetened with beet juice, Wilfred’s tastes very sweet, but that sweetness is balanced with bitter orange and rosemary extracts mixed in the blend. It is a bold flavor, and the botanicals really shine when mixed with other ingredients in mocktails.
Best enjoyed in: Wilfred’s Spritz
Even if you drink alcohol, non-alcoholic and low ABV cocktails are a great option for anyone trying to consume less calories or sugar. In the case of Wilfred’s Aperitif, one serving only has 21 calories and 5.25g of sugar. Alcoholic cocktails are usually much higher in both.
Ingredients, Nutrition, Storage
In order to thoughtfully review a product, it must be tested. Here’s the method taken for taste testing all non-alcoholic drinks.
What does Wilfred’s Aperitif taste like…
- Neat
- On ice
- On ice with tonic or appropriate single mixer
- Brand recommended mocktails
- Get creative
#1: Neat
Sipped neat, Wilfred’s Aperitif is very sweet and equally bitter with a texture like a thin simple syrup. It also slightly herbal and smells a little of cinnamon or allspice.
#2 On Ice
Adding ice to Wilfred’s makes it a little less syrupy. It seems a little less bitter and quite sweet on ice.
#3 On Ice with Tonic
Wilfred’s and tonic water makes a Wilfred’s Spritz, one of the mocktails tested below. The bitterness in the quinine really helps to balance the sweetness of the aperitif. The rosemary and other botanical extracts in Wilfred’s Aperitif create a uniquely flavored spritz, and it’s delicious.
#4 Brand Recommended Mocktails Featuring Wilfred’s Aperitif
One of the major components of testing a product includes taste-testing brand recommended mocktails. One might assume brand recommended drinks are the best way to enjoy a non-alcoholic spirit, but unfortunately, this is not always the case. Luckily all of these mocktails are great, so get mixing!
Zero Proof Negroni
Ingredients
100 ml Wilfred’s Aperitif
15 ml Fresh Grapefruit
3 dashes of Angostura Bitters
Directions:
Place a large chunk of ice into an old fashioned glass. Add ingredients and gently stir allowing the ice to melt. Garnish with an orange peel twirl.
Verdict: Because Wilfred’s is so sweet, I did not have high expectations for this mocktail. However, I was pleasantly surprised, and went back for a second. There is still sweetness, but the grapefruit and bitters really blend well with Wilfred’s. To be clear, the name is a little misleading – this does not taste at all like a negroni cocktail, but made in the spirit of one.
Ginger London Mule
Ingredients:
50ml Wilfred’s Aperitif
100ml Ginger Beer
Squeeze of fresh lime juice
Directions:
Pour Wilfred’s into a large collins glass filled with ice. Top with ginger beer and garnish with a wedge of lime and a slice of ginger.
Verdict: Loved this drink. Ginger beer works really well with a bitter aperitif. I learned this with Ghia, and now there are two non-alcoholic aperitif options for this style of cocktail.
Lime Sour Fred’s
Ingredients:
75 ml Wilfred’s Aperitif
25 ml lime juice
15 ml simple syrup
1 dash egg white (or 25ml aquafaba chickpea water, for a vegan alternative)
Directions:
Pour all ingredients into a shaker. Add ice. Shake until foamy. Strain into a cocktail glass.
Verdict: Tart, tasty, and fun to mix and serve. This is a very pretty drink, and would be a great non-alcoholic cocktail for serving at a party.
#5 Get Creative
Since spritzes are a favorite beverage of mine, I tried comparing two non-alcoholic versions of the classic spritz cocktail using Wilfred’s Aperitif. One is a brand recommended cocktail and the other a variation on a classic spritz (like an Aperol spritz), but with a delicious non-alcoholic wine.
Non-Alcoholic Spritz by Wilfred’s
Ingredients:
50ml Wilfred’s Aperitif
100ml Premium Tonic Water
Directions:
Serve in a large wine glass with plenty of ice. Garnish with a slice of orange.
Verdict:
Very delicious. Sweet with some bitterness. I prefer this over the Lyre’s Spritz Pitcher, and would drink this any time.
Spritz Mocktail
Ingredients:
90ml Noughty Brut Non-Alcoholic Sparkling Wine
60ml Wilfred’s Aperitif
30ml or a splash of club soda
Directions:
Fill a wine glass with ice and build the mocktail with sparkling wine, then aperitif, then club soda. Garnish with an orange wheel.
Verdict: This is just okay. I love both products used in this mocktail, but since Wilfred’s is so sweet, it really needs to be balanced with the bitterness in the tonic water. Save your Noughty Non Alcoholic Wine for drinking by itself. It shines on its own.
Where to Buy Wilfred’s Aperitif
Click here for the best available price on Wilfred’s Aperitif.
Conclusion
After all the taste tests, Wilfred’s non-alcoholic aperitif proved itself as a reliable product for the cocktail enthusiast making alcohol free drinks. It is hard to pick a favorite from the mocktail tests, because they were all delicious!
This is one non-alcoholic beverage you’ll want to keep on your shelf – mix it with alcoholic spirits for a low-ABV drink or make a mocktail like the ones tested above. Hopefully this Wilfred review was helpful in deciding which non alcoholic aperitifs to explore for your mocktails. These are just a few non-alcoholic aperitif recipes you could make, but the possibilities are endless. Grab a bottle and try it yourself.
If you have tried Wilfred’s Aperitif in mocktails, snap a pic and tag @masterofmocktails or #masterofmocktails on the Instagram page. It’s always great to see what others are making with non-alcoholic spirits!
Wilfred’s Aperitif Ingredients and Nutrition
Ingredients: Water, Natural Botanical Distillates and Extracts, English Beet Sugar, Citric Acid, Concentrates (Safflower, Lemon, Carrot, Blackcurrant); Preservatives: Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate
Storage
Store in a cool dry place out of direct sunlight. Once open, keep refrigerated and consume within 4 weeks. For use by date see base of bottle.
Nutrition: Serving size 50ml | 21 calories, Fat 0g, Sodium 0mg, Carbohydrates 5.25g, Total Sugars 5.25g, Protein 0g; SUITABLE FOR VEGANS, FREE FROM ALLERGENS*
*Nutrition information was found on the bottle and might be subject to change.
