Amaro (liqueur)

Amaro (Italian for 'bitter'), pl. amari, is a descriptor for a type of Italian (or Italian-style) herbal liqueur that is commonly consumed as an after-dinner digestif.^[1] It usually has a bitter-sweet flavor, sometimes syrupy, and has an alcohol content between 16% and 40%.

There is no canonical definition of what is or is not an Amaro. In the United States, the Tax and Trade Bureau classifies what is colloquially known as Amari as Aromatized Wines per 27 CFR 4.21(g) ^[2] . Similarly, spirits based Amari are classified simply as Bitters^[3].

Internationally, the Harmonized System only recognizes spirits based bitters as 2208.90.10.00 ^[4] and aromatized wine 2205.10.60 (for containers less than 2 liters) or 2205.90.60 (for containers larger than 2 liters) ^[5].

Amaro is typically produced by macerating herbs, roots, flowers, bark, vegetables and/or citrus peels in wine and/or a grape based distillate such as grappa, mixing the filtrate with caramel syrup, and optionally allowing the mixture to age in casks or bottles.

Dozens of varieties are commercially produced, the most commonly available of which are Fernet-Branca, Averna, Ramazzotti, Lucano, Amaro Nonino and Montenegro.

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

Amaro is traditionally consumed neat, sometimes with a citrus wedge. It may also be consumed on ice, with tonic water in cola-flavored sodas (as is common in Argentina) or in a variety of classic and modern cocktails.