Amaro is a bittersweet Italian liqueur typically served as a digestif after meals. Amaro is highly complex in flavor thanks to the multitude of ingredients used to make it. A mix of citrus peels, herbs, flowers, spices, and roots are macerated in neutral alcohol, imparting their unique flavors into the liquid. There may be dozens of different flavoring components added to a single type of amaro. Sugar is then added to the mix and the amaro is aged in bottles or casks for anywhere from three to twelve months. Each amaro is unique. Different makers use different proportions of these flavoring agents to develop unique and interesting aromas and tastes that are often more than the sum of their parts. With so many ingredients to choose from there are many different styles of amaro on the market. Some examples include carciofi, which is made with artichokes, rabarbaro, made with rhubarb, alpine, made with a variety of alpine herbs, and fernet, which is often the most bitter. The majority of amaros are made with high spirit alcohols, but amaro can also be made with wine. In fact, mellow vermouth is considered a type of amaro. Typically, amaros can have a wide range of alcohol contents. On the lightest side, some amaros are only slightly more boozy than wine at sixteen percent alcohol (vermouth falls into this category). On the flip side, some amaros can range up to forty percent alcohol by volume. Treat yourself to an after dinner drink by exploring the wide and complex world of amaro.
Feature Image: By Shabbychef at English Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0)