It is the summer of the St-Germain Spritz in London. As heatwave follows heatwave and the capital’s pavements begin to feel increasingly Provençal, the familiar orange Aperol is facing fresh competition from the paler, prettier and distinctly floral Hugo Spritz.
Once a lesser-spotted order outside the ski resorts and lakeside bars of northern Italy, the Hugo is suddenly everywhere. Google searches for the cocktail have increased by 170 per cent over the past three months, according to figures supplied by St-Germain. Globally, interest in the Hugo Spritz rose by 58 per cent last year, as drinkers increasingly sought lighter, fresher-tasting alternatives to more bitter aperitifs.
