I read a post the other day about transfer addictions, self-examined, and concluded that other than exercising regularly, I’m good. The next day, I randomly logged into Ancestry.com and for 48 hours, obsessively tracked my lineage all the way up to Old Grandma Saint Begga born in 618. Transfer addiction.

Even going back as far as I could on both sides, I couldn’t find a bit of Irish/English in me, especially in contrast to my current and former husbands. As Italian/Hungarian, I grew up around Sangiovese, Sambuca, and Vodka mostly. When I was in my early twenties, I went to a baby shower for a friend whose mother was from England. Despite my former bartending, I’d never heard of Pimm’s, and as I drank the punch, my appreciation for the British beverage steadily increased.

So this brings me to the British knocking me off my feet once again, this time while being entirely of sober mind and body. Wilfred’s Apertif is absolutely perfect. Audible “YUM” to no one in the house perfect. Perfect alone or perfect mixed. If you want to buy my love, send me a case.

The nose is clove. You then get the bitter orange and rosemary, followed by clove lingering on the palette. It’s not syrupy or artificially sweet, while also not being watery. It’s recommended to drink as a spritz or on ice, but I like it neat out of the fridge. It is one of the healthiest options I’ve reviewed at 41 calories and 10.5 carbs per 100mL. Like a lot of alcohol-free spirits, once you open it, you can’t let it sit there forever. This one has a “best within 4 weeks” of opening date. Wilfred’s runs approximately $30 for a 500mL bottle.

In conclusion, “Britain. We may be a small country, but we’re a great one, too. The country of Shakespeare, Churchill, the Beatles, Sean Connery, Harry Potter, David Beckham’s right foot,” and Wilfred’s Apertif. Cheers to you all across the pond!

You can buy Wilfred’s Apertif in the US at Better Rhodes.