Top Note, an American-made craft mixer brand, has introduced Gentiana, an aperitivo soda featuring French gentian root.

Gentiana is also the first product in Top Note’s new Bartender Release series. These feature sparkling mixers with contemporary flavor trends, released once a year in limited quantities.

There are 700 cases of Gentiana, now available through a select number of Top Note’s alcohol beverage distributors, Faire marketplace for direct-to-store orders and direct-to-consumers online.

Gentian root is most commonly used as a bittering agent for making cocktail bitters and bitter liqueurs. Top Note has relied on its aromatic flavor since developing their original cocktail syrups in 2014, and their first sparkling tonic waters in 2017.

“Gentiana was conceptualized as a way of giving a nod to our origin story as well as the growing popularity of aperitivo-style cocktails in the United States,” said Mary Pellettieri, Top Note Tonic founder. “We couldn’t be more thrilled to re-introduce Americans to this incredible gentian root beverage and can’t wait to see what concoctions bartenders come up with.”

The special release tonic offers bartenders an alternative to bitter liqueurs or hard-to-find bitter sodas for reducing or removing alcohol content in higher-proof bitter cocktails. Made with French alpine gentian root and inspired by Italian bitter sodas, the non-alcoholic tonic water can be served on its own or mixed in a cocktail or spirit-free beverage.

Gentiana’s flavor pairs well with fresh citrus as well as traditional components of Italian apertivi like Campari and olives.