The name is Italian, the origin kind of is too, but in Italy, Spumoni is practically unheard of. Meanwhile, in Japan, it’s a huge hit and has been trending for years, with a strong fan base in Singapore and South Korea too. This rising popularity across Asia has even made its way across the ocean.
The Story Behind the Cocktail
Tracing the origin of Spumoni is like trying to solve a mystery with no clear answer. There’s nothing solidly documented—it’s all speculation. The most likely theory is that its roots were planted back in the 1920s, when Italian cuisine started gaining traction in Japan, with spaghetti leading the charge as a national favorite. Over time, the Italian food craze extended to other ingredients and grew stronger.
Fast forward a few decades, and all eyes turn to Tokyo, often cited as the birthplace of this drink. It’s the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, and Italian aperitifs are all the rage in Japan’s capital. Cocktail bars are rediscovering classic Italian drinks, and the Garibaldi—two simple ingredients: orange juice and bitter—becomes the darling of the scene.
Then, someone, somewhere (nobody knows who or how), gives it a twist: swap out the orange for grapefruit and throw in some tonic water. And voilà, Spumoni is born.
The Spumoni Trend
Thanks to the massive popularity of Italian cuisine, Spumoni takes off and soon pops up everywhere: cocktail bars, trendy restaurants, traditional izakayas, clubs, and even karaoke rooms. It’s cheap, it’s light, and it tastes fantastic—so naturally, everyone’s ordering it.
It’s such a hit that it even gets a cameo in an episode of Bartender, the anime adaptation of Jō Araki and Kenji Nagatomo’s manga. The show’s about a genius bartender who makes drinks so perfect they bring peace to his customers’ souls.
From Japan, Spumoni‘s fame spreads across East Asia, landing in China, South Korea and Singapore. It even makes it over to the U.S., but it hasn’t really blown up there yet—it’s still a niche thing for now.
Spumoni Cocktail: The Recipe
Spumoni is a low-ABV cocktail, making it a great choice for an aperitif. If you’re looking for a bit more kick, some people like to add dry gin—a common ratio is one-third of the amount of bitter, so about 10 ml.
Ingredients
- 30 ml bitter
- 80 ml fresh grapefruit juice
- 30 ml tonic water
Method
Grab a tumbler or collins glass, drop in some ice cubes, and pour in the grapefruit juice and bitter. Stir gently, then top it off with tonic water.
Garnish
A grapefruit wedge.
Image credits of Julie Couder and Coqtail, location Nik’s & Co, all rights reserved.
