A Beginner’s Guide to Amaro
With flavors hanging from bitter to sweet and floral, amaros began as medicinal elixirs and have become essential cocktail ingredients. [...] Read More... The post A Beginner’s Guide to Amaro appeared first on Wine Enthusiast.
Best known as Italy’s famed bitter liqueur, amaro is steeped with herbs, roots and other flavorings. Traditionally favored as a digestivo to settle the stomach after a big meal, these days amaro is also considered an indispensable ingredient for mixing cocktails, from Nonino in a Paper Plane to a splash of Averna in a Black Manhattan.
That said, it’s a big, bitter world. In addition to traditional amaros, some categorize aperitivo bitters, like Campari, within the realm of bittersweet herbal liqueurs (the Italians don’t; but many Americans do). Add to that bitter-edged liqueurs made well beyond the borders of Italy, like France’s amers and gentian liqueurs like Salers and Suze; Germany’s famed Underberg and closer to home, American amaro, a sprawling, ever-expanding category.
In short, these spirits represent a vast array of flavors and styles that span beyond simply “bitter.”
The History of Amaro
Millennia ago, ancient Greeks and Romans used blends of aromatic roots and botanicals for medicinal purposes, explains bitters expert Brad Thomas Parsons in Amaro: The Spirited World of Bittersweet, Herbal Liqueurs, but the origins of amaro as we know it today can be traced back to medieval friars and monks across Italy, who used herbs and botanicals to create restorative tonics.
“These secret formulas were preserved in a wine or alcohol base and used as an elixir to both stimulate the appetite and aid digestion,” he says. “Many of these regional blends highlighted local ingredients, such as bitter oranges in Sicily and southern Italy and Alpine herbs and flowers in northern Italy, but the spice trade and Venice’s key role in it opened the door to new, exotic herbs and spices to experiment with.”
Sugar was still an expensive ingredient, so many old-world amaros were more bitter than sweet.
By the early 19th century, amaro’s association with monasteries evolved into commercial production. After World War II, the spirit transitioned from a prescriptive aid sold by pharmacists into a commercial product purchased and consumed for pleasure.
A Bittersweet Symphony
Typically, amaro steeps in an alcohol base (usually a grape brandy or neutral spirit), with bittering agents and additional flavorings. The resulting spirit is also sweetened, resulting in a bittersweet flavor profile.
Common bittering agents used to make amaro include cinchona bark, gentian root, wormwood and angelica root.
Beyond that, additional ingredients might include citrus peels, or other fruits and vegetables (yes, vegetables—notably artichoke, used to make Cynar—fennel and radicchio); herbs and spices; flowers, roots and barks; or beans like coffee or vanilla.
Many of those botanicals point to a distinct sense of place.
At San Francisco’s Bar Sprezzatura, partner and mixologist Carlo Splendorini uses dominant regional flavors to categorize amaros on the menu in a memorable way: “North is Herbs; Central is Roots; South is Fruits.”
Well-Balanced Complexity
While it’s tempting to describe amaro solely as “bitter,” it’s much more complex than that, balancing bitterness, sweetness, herbal components and spice—and often other flavors too.
“One of the most exciting things about amaro is its wide range of flavors and styles,” says Joe Campanale, co-owner of Brooklyn Italian restaurant Fausto. “I tell guests that it’s an herbal, typically brown, after-dinner drink with some level of bitterness, but it can vary from intensely bitter and dry to lightly bitter with a sweeter profile so I usually ask what their preference is. While herbal notes are always present, some amari lean more citrusy or floral.”
Adds Khaled Dajani, owner of San Francisco’s Bar 821, which is renowned for its extensive collection of amaro, “I often describe it as having a layered, botanical depth, with flavors ranging from bright citrus and floral notes to dark caramel, coffee and medicinal herbs. The taste varies widely depending on the style and region of origin.”
Wide-Ranging abv
Amaro can vary widely in terms of its alcohol content. Many are lower proof; one of the gentlest is Cynar, at 16.5% alcohol by volume (of note, the brand also offers a stiffer 35% version), and many range around 20% to 30% abv. On the stronger side of the spectrum, Amaro Nonino clocks in at 35% abv.
An Amaro for Every Occasion and Desire
“Traditionally, it is enjoyed neat as a digestif, allowing the complex herbal and bitter notes to shine, but also a rock can be added.” Dajani says. “However, it also works beautifully in cocktails which is how most Americans are used to it, whether as a base spirit, a modifier, or even a spritz with soda and citrus for a refreshing aperitivo-style drink.”
Meanwhile, at Sprezzatura, Splendorini recommends adding a garnish that accents the flavors in a straight pour of amaro. For example, an orange peel expressed over the top of a citrusy amaro from Southern Italy, or a mint sprig to freshen a brisk alpine amaro from the north.
In general, Fausto’s Campanale suggests serving amaro chilled, whether straight up or over ice. “You can even add it to espresso or drizzle it over ice cream,” he adds. “There’s no wrong way to enjoy it!”
The Best Amaro to Try Right Now
Every amaro lends itself to specific uses. We’ve rounded up our favorite, readily available bottles below.
The Most Versatile: Averna
Averna Amaro Sicilian
Opaque and inky brown, the restrained aroma hints at espresso. On the palate, it’s a wash of espresso, hazelnut and cola, with a pleasantly fleeting sweet-ness followed by a long, herbal finish. 93 points. — Kara Newman $32 Mission Liquor
The Lowest Alcohol Amaro: Cynar
Cynar
This relatively gentle amaro supposedly tastes like artichokes. Instead, the palate finds mellow dark chocolate, walnut and allspice, finishing bittersweet. 91 points. — K.N. $30 Crush Wine and Spirits
Most Extreme Amaro: Fernet
Fernet Branca
This amaro seems innocuous at first, with its coffee-brown hue and mild, root-like aroma. But it’s intensely bitter from the first sip—so much so that it’s hard to detect other flavors, though there’s a bitter espresso and unsweetened chocolate core, plus a minty finish. Bartenders love to offer this uber-bitter liqueur as a shock-value shot; it’s challenging to sip straight, even though the alcohol level is moderate. But it’s also a key component of some classic drinks, like the Hanky Panky, and that’s where its value lies. 87 points. — K.N. $35 Astor Wines
Want something similar, but a little less intense? Try Branca Menta.
Fernet Branca Menta
With a concentrated spearmint aroma, this liqueur has a chocolaty core and plenty of cooling mint, like a mint-chocolate cookie with a moderately bitter edge. Use to sass up a classic Grasshopper or other drinks that call for crème de cacao. 92 points. — K.N. $35 Astor Wines
Best Amaro for Negronis: Campari
Campari
The original red bitter is vivid scarlet, with a grapefruit peel-like aroma and flavor. The palate is bitter and bright, with a lighter body than many liqueurs and a hint of cinnamon on the bracing exit. Classic for mixing into a wide range of cocktails. 96 points. — K.N. $30 Total Wine & More
Bartenders’ Favorite Amaro: Montenegro
Best Dessert Pairing: Amaro Meletti
Amaro Meletti
The brisk, invigorating scent of this amaro hovers between herbal and medicinal. On the palate, it skews sweeter, with rich caramel and hazelnut flavors and just enough bitterness and baking spice to keep things interesting. 93 points. — K.N. $22 Astor Wines
Best Amaro for Beginners: Ramazzotti
Although it appears dark, inky and sin¬ister in the glass, this amaro is on the sweet and gentle side. Think ripe plums, dark berries and cola, with a pleasingly spiced finish and just the faintest bitter edge. It’s enjoyable to sip straight up with a twist of lemon peel, or lightened with a splash of club soda. 94 points. — K.N. $30 Astor Wines
Best Alpine Amaro: Braulio
Bràulio Amaro Alpino
This brawny alpine amaro has found favor among high-end mixologists for its sharp, distinct pine characteristic. In the glass, it’s ruddy brown, and features a dense, piny aroma spiked with mint. On the palate, it’s austere, starting with notes of allspice and toffee and lots of pine mid palate, fading into a clean, slightly herbal bitterness. Use to add bracing pine flavor to cocktails or sip as a post-dinner palate cleanser. 89 points. — K.N. $53 Total Wine
The post A Beginner’s Guide to Amaro appeared first on Wine Enthusiast.
