Appearance: An artificial orange/red colour. It is precisely the same in appearance as Rikodeine or Duro-Tuss cough syrup. Aroma: Icing sugar and very faint cinnamon. Flavour and Texture: Sweet and viscous. The initial taste is akin to hot cinnamon but I’m assuming it is actually chili. It builds to a mild black pepper intensity, particularly at the sides of the tongue and it makes the mouth water and the tongue tingle just a little. There is, however, an unpleasant aftertaste. It’s somewhat metallic, somewhat chemical. I love the regular Vecchio Amaro del Capo but I didn’t like this Red Hot version, and although I finished the 50ml taster bottle that I bought I would never buy it again. It has no nuance or complexity, just a quick smack of sweet heat and an all-round sense of synthetic ingredients, and I can’t escape the feeling that I’m drinking cough medicine. Hmm, maybe that’s the best time to drink it – to cut through a bad cold? “Don’t Bother” : 69/100 (1.75 stars)