Amaro: A Bittersweet Italian Herbal Liqueur
You’ve heard how great cocktails have a balance of bitter and sweet. On the bittersweet side of things, Amaro liqueurs are a popular option. Amaro means “bitter” in Italian, and this bittersweet Italian herbal liqueur is traditionally referred to as a digestivo. A digestivo is a liqueur thought to aid in digestion due to its combination of ingredients such as macerated herbs, roots (like gentian), citrus peels, flowers and alcohol.
Here, we wanted to offer an overview on some of the popular Amaro’s we incorporate in our cocktails, as well as share some cocktail recipes we’ve made using them.
Amaro Nonino®
A 100% vegetal product first created in 1933, Amaro Nonino® is a unique blend of herbs, spices, fruit, berries and roots, all “enriched with ÙE® Nonino Grape Distillate, aged more than 12 months in barriques and small casks” (Amaro Nonino Quintessentia®- the All Natural Italian Amaro, 2023). As a digestivo, you can enjoy this award-winning liqueur on its own at room temperature, but the bittersweet blend of this Amaro works incredibly well in popular cocktails like the Paper Plane, as well.
Try Amaro Nonino in our recipes below:
PAPER PLANE
Ingredients - Yields 1 Cocktail:
-3/4 oz. of Straight Bourbon
-3/4 oz. of Aperol
-3/4 oz. of Amaro Nonino
-3/4 oz. of Fresh Lemon Juice
Instructions:
Add all ingredients to a shaker with lots of ice. Shake hard until frost appears on the shaker tin. Double strain the drink into a Coupe or Martini glass.
SPRING FLING
Ingredients - Yields 1 Cocktail:
-1 oz. of First Run Rum
-1 oz. of fresh lemon juice
-1 oz. of cinnamon and strawberry infused Aperol
-1 oz. of Amaro Nonino
-3-4 dashes of El Guapo Summer Berries Bitters
-Fever Tree Sparking Pink Grapefruit (to top)
-lemon twist garnish
Instructions:
In a shaker with ice, combine all ingredients except the Fever Tree. Shake for 15 seconds, then double train into a highball glass filled with ice. Top with Fever Tree Sparkling Pink Grapefruit. Add a straw, and a twist of lemon.
To make cinnamon and strawberry-infused Aperol, add a cinnamon stick to one bottle of Aperol. Give it a shake, then let it sit for one day. After one day, remove the cinnamon. In a Mason jar, combine the cinnamon infused Aperol with a handful of rinsed strawberries. Shake once daily for a week. Strain out the strawberries using a cheesecloth, then store the infused Aperol until ready to use.
Amaro di Angostura®
No doubt you’ve heard of Angostura Bitters—one of the most common bitters added to cocktails. Amaro di Angostura® is made by the same company. They blend alcohol with spices and bitter herbs, which “are left to marry for 3 months” (ANGOSTURA® aromatic bitters, 2023). On the palate, you’ll pick up on cinnamon and toasted caramel, which adds great flavor to cocktails. It can also be enjoyed alone.
Try Amaro di Angostura in our recipe below:
OVER THE GAP
Ingredients - Yields 1 Cocktail
-1.5 oz. of Straight Bourbon or Maple Cask Rum
-1/2 oz. of Amaro di Angostura
-3/4 oz. of lime juice
-3/4 oz. of simple syrup
-lime wheel and nutmeg
Instructions:
Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake well, then strain into a rocks glass over pebbled or crushed ice. Garnish with a dehydrated lime wheel and freshly grated nutmeg.
Cynar Amaro®
Cynar Amaro® is a product of the Campari Group. The incredibly distinctive flavor of this Amaro is due to the proprietary mix of 13 herbs and botanicals, including artichoke (cynara). Created in 1952, this liqueur “doesn’t really taste like artichoke” but is bittersweet with notes of caramel, toffee and dried fruit (Francesco Muzzopappa, n.d.). It can be enjoyed before a meal as an aperitivo or as a digestivo, but it also makes a great liqueur alternative to Campari.
Try Cynar Amaro in our recipe below:
CYNARA
Ingredients - Yields 1 Cocktail:
-1.5 oz. of Revolution Rye
-1/2 oz. of Cynar Amaro
-1/2 oz. of Linchpin Aperitivo (or Aperol)
-Angostura ice cube
Instructions:
Add an Angostura ice cube to a large rocks glass. Pour the Revolution Rye right over the ice cube, followed by Cynar Amaro then the Aperitivo or Aperol. Twist an orange peel over the top of the glass, then add as a garnish.
To make an Angostura ice cube, add 2-3 dashes of Angostura Bitters to water, and freeze in a large ice cube mold. Note that adding more bitters may prevent freezing.
Amaro Montenegro®
The complex flavors of Amaro Montenegro® are thanks to their proprietary blend of 40 botanicals, which includes ingredients like orange peels, eucalyptus and vanilla (Montenegro, n.d.). First produced in 1885, this Amaro has a dark brown color with a bitter and spicy flavor. As with the other Amaro options, the bitter flavor here makes it an obvious choice for a digestivo, but it also adds distinctive flavor to cocktails.
Try Amaro Montenegro in our recipe below:
SPRING SHOWERS
Ingredients - Yields 1 Cocktail:
- 1.5 oz. of Rum 44
- 1/2 oz. of Amaro Montenegro
- 1/2 oz. of Simple Syrup
- 3/4 oz. of Fresh Lemon
- 2 Dashes of Peychaud's Bitters
Instructions:
Muddle 3 blackberries with simple syrup. Dry shake all ingredients, then strain the contents over crushed ice. Add a blackberry & lemon peel for garnish.
Amaro Averna Siciliano®
With a history 150 years strong, Amaro Averna is a product of Sicily with a "bittersweet taste, carrying hints of orange and licorice, balanced with notes of myrtle, juniper berries, rosemary and sage” (Amaro Averna: Taste and Tradition of the Sicilian Liqueur | Amaro Averna, 2024). This dark brown Amaro, with a hint of red, can be enjoyed by itself as a digestivo over ice. With the bitter blend of licorice, herbs and citrus, it also adds noteworthy flavor to cocktails.
Try Amaro Averna in our recipes below:
PX PALMETTO
Ingredients - Yields 1 Cocktail:
-1.5 oz. of PX Rum
-1/2 oz. of Carpano Antica
-1/2 oz. of Amaro Averna
-1/2 oz. of Cocchi di Torino
-Luxardo cherry
Instructions:
Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass with ice. Stir briefly. Strain contents into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish with a Luxardo cherry.
COLD BREW COFFEE NEGRONI
Ingredients - Yields 1 Cocktail:
-1.5 oz. of Revolution Rye
-3/4 oz. of Amaro Averna
-1/2 oz. of Campari
-1/2 oz. of cold brew coffee
Instructions:
Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass over ice. Stir for about 10 seconds, then strain into a double rocks glass over a large ice cube. Add an orange peel for garnish.
Fernet-Branca®
This popular Amaro has a strong and distinctive flavor. First created in 1845, Fernet-Branca® is made from a secret blend of 27 herbs and botanicals which is then aged in oak barrels for a year (Homepage, n.d.). It is less sweet than other Amaro options, making it a great liqueur for those who appreciate a bitter flavor. As with all the Amaro’s on our list, it can be enjoyed as a digestivo, or incorporated into cocktails.
Try Fernet-Branca in our recipes below:
TORONTO
Ingredients - Yields 1 Cocktail:
-2 oz. of Burnt Rock Bourbon
-1/4 oz. of Fernet Branca
-1/4 oz. of simple syrup
-2 dashes of Angostura bitters
Instructions:
Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass. Add ice, and stir for about 30 seconds. Strain into a chilled coupe glass. Express an orange peel over the glass, then add as a garnish.
MIDDAY REVIVER
Ingredients - Yields 1 Cocktail:
-1.5 oz. of First Run Rum
-3/4 oz. of ginger syrup
-3/4 oz. of lime juice
-1 bottle of Fever Tree Ginger Ale
-1/2 oz. of Fernet Branca
Instructions:
Add the First Run Rum, ginger syrup and lime juice to a shaker with ice. Shake for 15 seconds, then strain into a Collins glass over ice. Top with Fever Tree Ginger Ale, leaving 1 inch at the top of the glass. Garnish with a floater of Fernet Branca.
The alcohol base in an Italian Amaro is typically a neutral spirit, a grape brandy or wine. The alcohol content and flavor profiles on Amaro’s can vary depending on the producer, but given the blend of natural and earthy ingredients, all are considered to aid in digestion. Some Amaro brands have a more bittersweet flavor, while others are more bitter, so you can find an Amaro to suit your preferences.
If you enjoy making cocktails at home, we hope this list of popular Amaro liqueurs—and some cocktails you can make using each—will prove useful as you further explore the great wide world of craft cocktailing. Happy mixing, shaking and sipping!
References:
Amaro Nonino Quintessentia®- the all natural Italian Amaro. (2023, February 2). Grappa Nonino. https://www.grappanonino.it/en/amaro-and-liqueurs/amaro-nonino-quintessentia/
ANGOSTURA® aromatic bitters. (2023, November 25). Amaro di ANGOSTURA® - Angostura. Angostura. https://angosturabitters.com/portfolio/amaro-di-angostura/
Francesco Muzzopappa. (n.d.). Cynar. Campari Group. Retrieved January 31, 2026, from https://www.camparigroup.com/en/spiritheque/cynar
Montenegro, A. (n.d.). The Revelation. unearthing pure essence. Amaro Montenegro. https://www.amaromontenegro.com/en
Amaro Averna: Taste and tradition of the Sicilian liqueur | Amaro Averna. (2024, May 28). Amaro Averna. https://www.amaroaverna.com/product/
Homepage. (n.d.). Fernet Branca. https://us.fernetbranca.com/
Written and published by Brianne Lucas on February 2, 2026.
