Amaro
DigestifsEditorial draft
Amaro (Italian for "bitter") is a family of bittersweet herbal liqueurs. They are traditionally drunk after a meal as a digestif.
How to describe it to a guest
It's a bittersweet herbal liqueur for after dinner, with citrus and spice and a pleasantly bitter finish.
Origin
Its best-known tradition is Italian, though many countries have similar bitter liqueurs.
Production
Herbs, roots, barks, flowers and citrus are macerated in spirit or wine, then sweetened and sometimes aged.
Flavor
Bitter and sweet at once, with herbs, citrus, roots, mint or caramel depending on style.
Styles
- Fernet
- Very bitter, minty and intense.
- Alpino
- With mountain herbs, fresh and resinous.
- Carciofo
- Made with artichoke; vegetal and mellow.
- Rabarbaro
- With rhubarb; smoky and earthy.
- Ligero / Aperitivo
- Sweeter and citrusy, lower in alcohol.
How to serve it
- GlasswareRocks glass
- TemperatureNeat at room temperature or over one cube.
- Offer it as a digestif, in a small pour.
Pairings
- Café de olla
- Chocolate desserts
- Ate with cheese
Reading the label
- Digestivo
- A drink meant for after a meal.
- Aperitivo
- A light, bitter drink to open the appetite before a meal.
Cocktails
Sources
- The Oxford Companion to Spirits & Cocktails
Updated October 20, 2026