Amaro
I
t’s rare in the booze world for a category to be
defined by purpose rather than production, as
amaro is, but it’s this fact that really speaks to
the magic of it. Devilishly difficult to pin down,
an amaro is, broadly speaking, a bittersweet herbal
liqueur. The word amaro is Italian for “bitter” and
the best known examples of the category hail from
mainland Italy and Sicily.
Italy is a nation steeped in history and tradition,
much of which is based around the twin pillars of
eating and drinking. The rules are simple: an aperitivo
before dinner, wine
during, and a glass
of amaro afterwards
to seal the deal.
The oldest
styles of amari are
digestivi: herbs and
roots macerated in
neutral brandy to extract both flavour and medicinal
properties. Taken after dinner, they are said to settle
the stomach and kickstart digestion. Anyone who’s
ever downed a swift tumbler of the intensely bitter
Fernet-Branca after a long meal can attest to the truthMedicinal tonic, aperitivo, or both? MICHAEL MADRUSAN of The Everleigh
talks us through the wonderful world of the herbal liqueur, amaro.
hour
in this. Originally created by medieval monks as
medicinal tonics, these amari were hyper-local, with
each village crafting its own proprietary blend of
locally foraged ingredients. This regionality is still
echoed in today’s commercial counterparts: northern
amari, such as Braulio, will taste strongly of alpine
herbs like gentian; southern or Sicilian amari will
tend towards a strong citrus profile. My personal
favourite is Rucolino amaro from Campania,
which is made using two types of rucola, or rocket.
That’s right, booze made from salad. You won’t see
this one on many shelves, but it is available online.
Other widely known liqueurs like Campari and
Aperol are often referred to in Italy as “bitters”,
but not as amari, just in case things weren’t confusing
enough. Despite being very similar in make-up- bittersweet, herbal, low in alcohol – they serve quite
a different purpose. Often brightly coloured, these
bitters are amaro’s happy-go-lucky sibling, intended
to be consumed before dinner as an aperitivo to
stimulate the appetite and signal that the day is done
and the night is ahead. Practices we ourselves live
by – just ask The Everleigh team. Here are a few
go-to amari to best acquaint yourself with the drink.
The rules are simple: an
aperitivo before dinner, wine
during, and a glass of amaro
afterwards to seal the deal.