Amaro

Amaro is an Italian bitter liqueur. The name comes from amaro, the Italian word for bitter, reflecting its primary flavor profile. Amari are a broad family of distilled beverages produced by macerating a variety of botanicals—often including roots, bark, citrus peels, herbs and spices—in neutral alcohol, then sweetening the infusion with sugar or syrup. The resulting liqueurs are typically amber to dark brown and range in strength from roughly 16% to 40% ABV. Color is sometimes intensified with caramel.

Most amari are intended to be consumed as digestifs after meals, though they are also used in cocktails and spritzes. Flavors vary from bright citrus and floral notes to deeply bitter, earthy profiles, often with a bitter finish that arises from botanicals such as gentian or cinchona, along with rhubarb, orange, sage, and cinnamon. Production methods differ by recipe, but common steps include botanical maceration or infusion in alcohol, filtration, and the addition of sugar, with some aging in wood to meld flavors.

Amaro originated in Italy and developed into a diverse regional category, with dozens of brands and styles. Notable examples include Amaro Montenegro, Amaro Ramazzotti, Amaro Averna, Amaro Lucano, Amaro Nonino, Braulio, and Fernet-Branca. Some amari are deliberately sweeter (amaro dolce), while others emphasize bitterness; still others balance both elements for a complex final product. Beyond drinking neat or on the rocks, amaro is frequently used as a cocktail ingredient, contributing bitterness, depth, and aromatic complexity.