Like with most liqueurs and spirits that have spanned generation, the exact composition, recipe and production methods of amari are well-guarded secrets. In this guide, we’ve listed some of the known botanicals along with the flavour profile. Note that some of the ABVs differ in various countries so this is intended as a guide only.
- Amaro di Angostura (Trinidad & Tobago)
- 35% ABV
- known botanicals: roots, barks and spices
- flavour profile: Christmas spice, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, cardamom, liquorice, chocolate finish
- Amaro Lucano (Italy)
- 28% ABV
- known botanicals: wormwood, angelica root, gentian, sage, bitter orange
- flavour profile: cinnamon, liquorice, caramel and some herbal bitter notes
- Amaro Meletti (Italy)
- 32% ABV
- known botanicals: saffron, anise, violet, clove, gentian,
- flavour profile: floral, hints of cinnamon, orange peel, bitter gentian root
- Amaro Montenegro (Italy)
- 23% ABV
- known botanicals: orange peel, vanilla, liquorice root
- flavour profile: light bodied, lightly bitter with orange notes, vanilla, caramel and sweet warm spices
- Amaro Nardini (Italy)
- 31% ABV
- known botanicals: gentian, bitter orange, peppermint
- flavour profile: floral with bitter orange and liquorice
- Amaro Nonino Quintessentia (Italy)
- 35% ABV
- known botanicals: grappa-based, bitter orange peel, chinchona bark, galangal, gentian, licorice, quassia, rhubarb root, saffron
- flavour profile: lighter style with strong orange notes, soft spice and toffee
- Amaro Ramazzotti (Italy)
- 30% ABV
- known botanicals: cardamom, clove, bitter orange, star anise
- flavour profile: cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, orange peel, bittersweet finish
- Amer Picon (France)
- 21% ABV
- known botanicals: orange, gentian, cinchona bark
- flavour profile: bittersweet orange notes with gentian and quinine
- Aperol (Italy)
- 11% ABV
- known botanicals: bitter orange, sweet orange, gentian, rhubarb
- flavour profile: orange zest, rhubarb, some herbaceous sweetness and woody notes
- Averna (Italy)
- 32% ABV
- known botanicals: pomegranate, herbs, roots, citrus rind
- flavour profile: liquorice, dried orange peel, vanilla
- Becherovka (Czech Republic)
- 38% ABV
- known botanicals: cinnamon, bark clove, ginger, cinnamon, honey, orange peel
- flavour profile: cinnamon, clove, bitter orange and honey
- Branca Menta (Italy)
- 30% ABV
- known botanicals: aloe ferox, chamomile, myrrh, peppermint, rhubarb root, saffron
- flavour profile: sweet, herbal, menthol, spearmint and peppermint
- Braulio Amaro Alpino (Italy)
- 21% ABV
- known botanicals: gentian, wormwood, juniper, yarrow, roots, alpine herbs; aged in oak barrels
- flavour profile: pine, spearmint, oaky notes, floral, chamomile, warm spice
Click to the next page for the Essential Guide to Amaro & Bitters (C-Z)