Amaro, Italy’s traditional, bittersweet herbal liqueur, is trending on the American spirits scene. You’ve probably tasted an amaro via some popular drinks in Dallas.
The ubiquitous Aperol Spritz gets its flavor from a citrusy, low-alcohol amaro called Aperol. The beloved Negroni typically features Campari, a boldly bitter amaro used mostly for mixing. But under the big amaro umbrella, there are dozens of complex amari that are delicious sipped solo. Traditionally served as a digestif after a big meal, they’re also great mixed with tonic water or soda for a refreshing, low-alcohol aperitif. Bartenders love amari for the bittersweet, herbaceous depth they lend cocktails, too.
Amaro (which means bitter, in Italian) is a broad category of liqueurs infused with loads of botanicals. Many are made using centuries-old secret recipes. Bittering agents vary widely: Gentian roots, wormwood, cinchona bark, and grapefruit peel are common ones. Some famous amari originated in medieval monasteries, and a few are still produced by monks. Others were concocted by late 19th century pharmacists, who promoted amaro as a digestive aid (modern day advocates also say the herbal infusion settles the stomach). And many more amari have been developed since the 20th century.
Amaro is produced all over Italy — from Sicily’s Mount Etna region to the Italian Alps — and even beyond Italy’s borders. The regional liqueurs show wide variations in bitterness, sweetness, and flavor. Depending on the herbs, plants, flowers, fruits and spices used, their profiles can lean from fruity to medicinal. Even the alcohol base can vary. Neutral spirits, grappa, and wine are all fair game for amaro-making, so the alcohol content (ABV) can swing from 11% to 40%. There are no amaro rules, but common traits prevail: some degree of bitterness, complexity, and a sweetener that makes them easy to drink.
To experience the breadth of amaro styles before investing in a bottle or two, head to Pony Tail, a reservations-only, five-seat bar tucked inside Trick Pony in Deep Ellum.
“We have a plethora of different kinds of amaro from all over,” says bar manager Jeremy Logan. Of the nearly 40 bottles offered at the bar, about a dozen are from Italy. Logan encourages guests to try multiple amari, given the diversity of recipes using each regions’ traditional botanicals. “It’s beautiful to see the differences between [regions]. Amaro is cultural,” he says.
Logan slips amari into some classic cocktails. He subs Cardamaro, a wine-based amaro, for a third of the whiskey in a Manhattan.
“It lowers the ABV and adds a whole middle layer — an herbal, celery note. And because it’s wine-based, it softens and smooths the cocktail,” he says. For a richly flavored Paper Plane (anchored by Nonino Quintessentia Amaro), he often subs Montenegro Amaro for the traditional Aperol. He also invents cocktails using amari, based on the flavor and alcohol profiles that customers request.
Most well-stocked liquor stores in Dallas sell at least a few varieties of amaro. Pogo’s has the widest selection of premium amari — more than 20 varieties — and Bar and Garden has a few unusual ones. Below are five delicious Italian amari to jump start your amaro journey. You’ll find lots of cocktail recipes using these amari on the producers’ websites, and elsewhere online.
Amaro dell’Etna: a bitter orange
Using its original recipe from 1901, this rustic Sicilian amaro is made with more than 26 herbs and plants native to the Mount Etna region. A pleasant orange peel bitterness cradles layers of flavor, including cinnamon, licorice, and a hint of smoke — evoking its volcanic terroir. There’s enough sweetness to make it easy to drink. For a delicious spritz, mix 1 1/2 ounces dell’ Etna with 4 ounces San Pellegrino grapefruit soda, or tonic water with a squeeze of lime, to taste. Amaro dell’Etna has an ABV of 29% and sells for $39.99 at Pogo’s.
Cardamaro: wine-based amaro made with artichoke thistle leaf
First released in the 1950s, this wine-based amaro is made by an eighth generation wine- and amaro-producing family in Italy’s Piedmont region. The leaves of the local “Hunchback” cardoon (an herbaceous artichoke thistle) lend it celery nuances, which join herbal, nutty and baking spice notes from more than 20 botanicals. With a honeyed sweetness on the entry, a medium level of bitterness, and a relatively low alcohol content (17% ABV), Cardamaro is both a good introductory amaro, and one that will impress your wine-snob friends. It’s also a good choice for making lower-alcohol cocktails. It’s sold at Bar and Garden, Pogo’s, and Sigel’s, for $22 to $29.
Zucca Rabarbaro: smoky notes from Chinese rhubarb
This distinctive, balanced amaro is named for rhubarb — but it’s a Chinese variety that joins the botanical-rich infusion. Unlike the tart American rhubarb, the roots of this rare variety impart a smoky, earthy, tobacco note that plays well with the herbal, stone fruit, citrus peel, and molasses flavors carried into the finish. First produced in 1845, the recipe was rebooted in 2016, resulting in a near doubling of its alcohol content (now 30% ABV). You could sip it on its own, as a spritz, or in a Negroni. It sells for about $30 at Pogo’s and Sigel’s on Fitzhugh.
Montenegro: a gateway amaro
Born in Bologna in 1885, this crowd-pleasing amaro is made with 40 botanicals, of which only 13 are revealed. Showing a tad more sweetness than bitterness, Montenegro is very approachable — some call it a “gateway amaro” — yet it’s complex, with floral and dominant spiced orange flavors tempering the caramel notes. It’s delicious mixed with two parts tonic water and a slice of orange or lime, and makes a great addition to cocktails. Add it to an Old Fashioned for a more complex version — its sweetness allows for skipping the sugar. Montenegro has an ABV of 23%, and is widely available for about $36.
Nonino Quintessentia: elegant and grappa-based
Nonino, a pioneering grappa producer from Friuli, in Northern Italy, has made grappa-based amari since 1933. In 1992, the family-owned company replaced some of the grappa in its recipe with an aged grape brandy, giving birth to this delicate, elegant amaro. Infused with herbs from the area’s mountains, it’s gentle and sweet. Honey, vanilla and orange peel flavors mingle with menthol and pleasantly bitter woodsy notes that linger in the finish. Nonino is silky and light on the palate, with a well-hidden alcohol level of 35%. It’s lovely sipped neat, but bartenders blend Nonino with other liquors for complex cocktails. It’s a key component of the Paper Plane — equal parts bourbon, Nonino, Aperol and lemon juice. Even simpler is The Reanimator: equal parts Nonino and rye, with a lemon peel twist. Nonino is widely available for $45 to $50.
