Hugo cocktail snaps at Aperol's heels in UK summer of spritz

British drinkers have made the Hugo elderflower cocktail this summer's favourite, with sales figures showing it snapping at the heels of the market-leading Aperol spritz, according to the Guardian. The elderflower-based drink is enjoying explosive growth, with Campari, Sarti Rosa and limoncello varieties also taking off, the paper reported on Saturday.

The trend reflects a broader shift in aperitivo culture, one that resonates in Basilicata, where the region's own lemon and elderflower harvests feed into Italy's wider cocktail economy. While the Guardian's report focuses on UK sales, the underlying story is Italian: the Hugo, invented in South Tyrol in 2005, has become a global ambassador for the country's approach to light, aromatic drinks.

For a region better known for its oil fields and ancient stone cities, the cocktail boom is a reminder that Italy's soft power in food and drink continues to travel far beyond its borders, even as its demographics shrink.