Amaro. An Italian word meaning “bitter”. You’ve heard it, and have probably tasted some examples (whether you know it or not), but what is the stuff, exactly? And why should you care?

Well, most simply, they're delicious and incredibly complex liqueurs that can be enjoyed neat, but are most often mixed into cocktails. It’d take a good deal of time to thoroughly cover the histories of amari (plural of “amaro”), so this will serve as a high-level beginner’s guide into their complex world. Hopefully you’ll come out knowing a few new facts, and with some new ideas for your home bar to boot.

What's an Amaro?

Don’t be dismayed by the word “bitter” — yes, it's apt, but even if you're not generally a fan of bitter drinks, you may well like these. An amaro is any bitter-sweet Italian herbal liqueur, the complexities of which span as vast a range as you can imagine when attempting to think of possible combinations of things that grow on the earth. That's because amari are mixtures of herbs, spices, roots, plants, barks, flowers, weeds, vegetables, fruit peels, etc. that are macerated (a fancy word for pulling the flavor out of something) by soaking in a neutral spirit or wine. The resulting liquid is mixed with sugar and aged.

The Breakdown

Most spirits have some sort of guiding categorization that sets them apart (like the specific complexities of different whiskey types, for example). But in the case of amari, there isn’t a specific set of rules outside of them being bitter-sweet herbal liqueurs that are Italian made.

While there are some general types of amari, the variance in each category, the complexity and secrecy of individual recipes, and the constantly changing offerings means that any kind of authoritative breakdown is difficult, if not impossible. But as a very general simplification, here are just some of the groupings amari fall into:

Alpine, made with herbs from mountainous regions
Light and medium, differing respectively in color, body, and flavor intensity
Fernet, the darkest, most strongly bitter of the bunch
Tartufo, made with black truffles
Carciofo, made with artichoke
Rabarbaro, made with rhubarb

From these categories, separating the numerous and continually growing iterations of specific bottles becomes increasingly difficult.

How to Drink 'Em

Amaro lore says that they're beneficial for health, digestion, and gastrointestinal ailment. Many amaro recipes were actually developed for these reasons, have both legendary and factual histories surrounding the medicinal herbal properties, and are still consumed today as either post-dinner digestifs or pre-dinner aperitifs.

There’s really no wrong way to serve or drink it, though your local establishment might frown upon taking pulls straight from the bottle. While you'll find 'em most often in cocktails rather than as solo pours, you can (and should) drink them neat, either room temperature or chilled, unadorned or garnished with a citrus peel. And of course, the diversity of amari plays a part in how you taste them. Some are delicate and light, whilst others are intense and can be overwhelming on your first go. As a proponent of full immersion, I veer toward the route of drinking them neat as a way to fully absorb the flavors. It’ll take a few tries, as amari are complex enough that you’ll need to take several sips and breaths between to get a feel for the trip your palate is taking.

The Three You Should Know

Fernet-Branca

Invented in 1845 by a gentleman named Bernardino Branca, this intensely minty, earthy amaro is made from a closely guarded family recipe combining 27 different herbs and spices, aged at least a year in oak barrels. It gained American popularity during Prohibition as one of the few spirits available in pharmacies for its rumored health benefits. And while the exact mixture and proportions are not known to the public, some stronger notes have been confirmed, such as gentian root, aloe, saffron, and chamomile.

If you’ve never tried the stuff, your first taste of it can be decidedly overpowering. A good deal of people don’t like it at first, but it deserves a second, third, and fourth chance. In fact, buy a bottle. It’s something that one taste won’t be enough to allow a full experience with the flavor. If after a few tries you don’t like it straight, there’s a myriad of different uses for it: cocktails, baking/cooking, dessert toppers, coffee liveners. Be creative.

How you enjoy Fernet-Branca (and any amaro, really) is completely up to you. Whether it’s your after dinner digestif, shot of choice, mixed with cola, or part of a cocktail, it’s an essential to have in your bar.

Try It In: The Toronto

2 oz Rye
.25 oz Fernet-Branca
.25 oz Simple Syrup
2 Dashes Angostura Bitters
Orange Peel

Pour all ingredients into mixing glass, stir until ice cold, and strain into rocks glass with a large ice chunk. Or strain and pour neat in a chilled glass. Express orange peel garnish over the cocktail and you’re all done.

Campari

Something you’ve likely seen, perhaps tried, or at least know exists – it's very popular here in the States, but more so as an ingredient in cocktails than as something to be sipped by itself.

Gaspare Campari drummed up this concoction in the 1840s, its recipe also a closely kept secret. It’s deep red in color and has a bright orange scent that starts off light and sweet, but ends bitter and herbal. Depending on how much you love the bitter aftertaste, there are a bunch of different consumption methods, but on the rocks, neat, or with club soda are the best ways enjoy its essence without eclipsing the taste.

There are a ton of cocktails with Campari in them, but arguably the most widely known are the Americano and its offshoot, the Negroni. The Americano is a refreshing balance between sweet and bitter, cutting both notes with a splash of cold soda water. And as the story goes, a guy named Camillo Negroni asked his bartender for an Americano with a little more kick to it, so he replaced the soda water in the Americano with gin, thus bringing the Negroni cocktail into existence.

Oh, and one for the bold of you, if you mix half Campari and half Fernet-Branca in a shot, it’s called a Ferrari. Give that one a whirl and see how you like it.

Try It In: The Americano

1 oz Campari
1 oz Sweet Vermouth
Soda Water
Orange Slice

Add Campari and sweet vermouth to an ice-filled highball glass. Top with soda water and garnish with an orange slice.

Amaro Montenegro

Beautiful, silky Montenegro – this is the friendliest of the bunch. This refreshing little number is low in alcohol and tastes bright and citrusy sweet, balancing notes of caramel and orange among the 40+ different herbs, etc. that grace the enshrouded formula. Made in 1885 by Stanislao Cobianchi, the recipe has remained the same since its inception. Montenegro has a bitter-sweet balance combined with a smooth, almost creamy, texture that differs highly from the stringent immediacy of Fernet-Branca and Campari. It's by far the easiest of three to drink on its own.

As it does so well in balancing sweet and bitter, replacing sweet vermouth with Amaro Montenegro in the Manhattan does wonders in the adding a layer of complexity to the cocktail.

Try It In: The Amaro Montenegro Manhattan

1.5 oz Rye Whiskey
1.5 oz Amaro Montenegro
2 Dashes Angostura Bitters
Orange Peel

Add ingredients to mixing glass and stir until ice cold. Strain into rocks glass with large ice chunk or neat in a chilled glass. Express orange peel garnish.

Having barely scratched the surface of amari, it’s wild to think about so much variance, secrecy, and invention. Go out and try some new stuff. You don’t even have to start with these, but they’re certainly a good foundation on which you can build your experience. The point is: don’t be scared of bitterness. Once you’re in, a new world of adventure awaits your spirits know-how.

A Beginner's Guide to Amaros