The market · Liqueurs and bitters · Southern Europe

Amaro

Italian for 'bitter': a big family of herbal liqueurs — roots, barks, peels and herbs steeped in spirit and sweetened — drunk after dinner and used in drinks as a bittersweet backbone.

bittersweet · herbal · caramel

Kinds

Light
Orange, floral, gentle — easy to sip, good with soda.
Medium
Cola, caramel and orange: the classic digestivo.
Alpine
Piney, mountain herbs, cooling.
Carciofo
Artichoke-based: vegetal and low in alcohol.
Rabarbaro
Rhubarb root: smoky and earthy.
Fernet
The bitterest end, with little sugar.

Goes with

rye whiskeysweet vermouthorange peelsoda water

Knowing it

Where to buy
Start with one light and one medium. Italian delis often have regional amari cheaper than spirit shops.
Worth knowing
Swap amaro for the sweet vermouth in a Manhattan or Negroni and you have a new drink. Most are 16–35%, so a split base — half amaro, half whiskey — keeps the strength up.

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