Amaro (meaning "bitter" in Italian, plural Amari) is a variety of Italian herbal liqueur, commonly drunk as an after-dinner digestif. It is usually bitter and sweet, sometimes syrupy, usually with an alcohol content between 16% and 35%. Amari are typically produced by macerating herbs, roots, flowers, bark, and/or citrus peels in alcohol, either neutral spirits or wine, mixing the filtrate with sugar syrup, and allowing the mixture to age in casks or in bottle.

Dozens of varieties are commercially produced, the most commonly available of which are Averna, Ramazzotti, Lucano, and Montenegro. Commercially produced Amari may contain "natural flavourings" and caramel coloring. A typical Amaro is flavoured with several (sometimes several dozen) herbs and roots. Some producers list the ingredients in some detail on the bottle label. Amari are typically flavored with some of the following: gentian, angelica, and cinchona (China), as well as lemon balm (melissa), Lemon verbena (cedrina), juniper, anise, fennel, zedoary, ginger, mint, thyme, sage, bay laurel, citrus peels, licorice, cinnamon, menthol, cardamom, saffron, rue (ruta), wormwood (assenzio), elder (sambuco), and centaurea minor.

Many commercial bottlers trace their recipe or production to the 19th century. Recipes often originated in monasteries or pharmacies.

Amari are typically drunk neat, with a citrus wedge, on ice, or with tonic water.

Amaro should not be confused with amaretto, another Italian liqueur that is sweet and flavored with almonds or the pits of drupe fruits such as apricots, nor with amarone, a rich Italian dry red wine from Valpolicella.

Similar liqueurs have traditionally been produced throughout Europe, with local variations, notably in Germany, where they are called Kräuter Likör, as well as Hungary, Netherlands, France, etc. The term Amaro is typically only applied to such liqueurs which are produced in Italy.

Contents 1 Styles 2 Brands 2.1 Italy 2.2 Elsewhere 3 Sources

[edit] Styles

• Medium - typically 32% alcohol by volume, with an even balance between bitter, sweet, and citrus tastes. Examples of this type are Ramazzotti, Averna, Jägermeister, Lucano, Luxardo Amaro Abano, Amaro Bio.
• Fernet - more sharply bitter than other amari. Examples include Fernet Branca, Fernet Stock, Luxardo Fernet, Amaro Santa Maria Al Monte.
• Light - Lighter in color than others, usually with more citrus notes. Examples include Amaro Nonino, Amaro Florio, Amaro del Capo, Harry's.
• Alpine - flavoured with 'alpine' herbs, sometimes with a smokey taste, typically around 17% alcohol content. Examples include Amaro Alpino, Amaro Zara, Amaro Braulio.
• Vermouth - wine-based spirit, typically with an alcohol content near 18%, with very little bitterness. These amari resemble vermouth. Examples include Amaro Don Bairo, Amaro Diesus del Frate.
• Carciofo - made with artichoke, usually around 17% alcohol content. These amari are usually taken as an aperitif, rather than a digestif. Examples include Cynar and Carciofo (multiple producers).
• Tartufo - made with black truffles, bottled at 30% alcohol. Amari of this type are produced in the central Italian region of Umbria, which is known for its truffles, as well as in San Marino.
• China - made with bark of Cinchona calisaya. The oldest and most popular brand is China Martini, based in Turin. It could be drunk hot.
• Rabarbaro - made with rhubarb. The oldest and most popular brand is Zucca, based in Milan. It could be drunk hot.
• Miscellaneous - made with honey ('miele'), rhubarb ('rabarbaro'), fennel ('finochetto', typical of Ischia and the Amalfi Coast), metals (e.g. Ferro China Bisleri, which contains ferrous ammonium citrate), unripe green walnuts ('amaro nocino', a more bitter form of nocino).

[edit] Brands

The following brands are commercially produced:

[edit] Italy

• Amaro 18 Isolabella
• Amaro Abruzzese
• Amaro Antico de Capua
• Amaro Asiago
• Amaro Averna
• Amaro Braulio
• Baroche Amaro Bio (an all-organic amaro)
• Amaro Borsci
• Amaro Campano
• Amaro Ciociaro
• Amaro Vecchio del Capo
• Amaro del Capo
• Amaro del Carabiniere
• Amaro dei Trulli
• Amaro di Sicilia
• Amaro di Etna
• Amaro Don Bairo
• Amaro Erbes
• Amaro Florio
• Amaro Giuliani
• Amaro Gambarotti
• Amaro Lucano
• Amaro Medeiterraneo
• Amaro Mio
• Amaro Montenegro
• Amaro Nonino
• Amaro Penna
• Amaro Poli
• Amaro Ramazzotti
• Amaro san Giuseppe
• Amaro Santa Maria Al Monte
• Amaro Savoia
• Amaro Sibilla
• Amaro Tonico di Varnelli
• Amaro Viparo
• Amaro Zara
• Amer Picon
• Torani Amer
• Harry's
• Luxardo Amaro Abano
• Luxardo Amaro Fernet
• Nardini Amaro Bassano
• Bénéfort
• China Martini
• Cynar
• Carciofo
• Diesus Amaro del Frate
• Fernet-Branca
• Fernet Stock
• Fernet Beltion
• Ferro China Bisleri
• Petrus Boonekamp
• Radis Amaro
• Vecchia Umbria

[edit] Elsewhere

• Becherovka
• Boonekamp
• Gammel Dansk
• Jägermeister
• Unicum
• Amer Picon

[edit] Sources

• http://italianfood.about.com/od/aperitifscoffee/r/blr0484.htm
• http://www.amariamari.com (in Italian)
• http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9D0CE3DF103BF933A05752C0A967958260&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=all

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