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As the author of a book about amaro, I’ve spent the past five years conducting numerous talks, tastings, and training sessions on the subject of bittersweet Italian liqueurs. And one of my favorite things to witness is the reaction when people enter the room and are instantly hit with the intense, symphonic aroma emanating from the lineup of amari...

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After Campari, Limoncello is the second most popular liqueur in Italy. Because of its high sugar and citrus content, it is frequently served after dinner as a digestivo. Unlike Campari, the formula is not secret—in fact, it is so easy to make that it has become a DIY favorite. All you really need are lemon zests, simple syrup, and a neutral spirit...

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To drink like an Italian is to slip into an appreciative way of life. The opening gesture to an evening and what is to follow means that the aperitivo—the relaxed appetite-awakener—plays a major role in a culture renowned for their food and drink. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of variations on the theme of relatively low alcohol-by-volume a...

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Who does not remember the smiling face of Ernesto Calindri during the Carosello, advertising Cynar, the Italian artichoke liqueur to sip “against the wear and tear of modern life”? Well, even today, many years later, we find it on the shelves of many supermarkets, in bars and restaurants, ready to be served smooth or on ice according to taste. Sinc...

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When temperatures drop low, what’s better than a steaming hot drink to warm the body and spirit?! Here are nine drinks to enjoy in Italy in winter.  Bombardino The name alone is enough to bring on some cheer. Bombardino (meaning ‘little bomb’) may very well be the favorite hot drink of skiers as you will see many of them gulp one down at Italy’s ri...

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Amateurs of the best liquors currently on the market know that famous Fernet Branca Menta, a fresh variation of the original drink which feature 27 herbs and spices from  four different continents. The production of the Fernet Branca dates back to 1845 thanks to the Fratelli Branca Distilleria in Milan, whilst its aromatic mint version started to b...

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Italian liqueur brand Amaro Montenegro is bringing international travel to consumers in America with a traveling pop-up bar experience, “Bar Monte,” that is targeting food and wine festivals across the country. The scaled-down sampling program is anchored in a tricked-out trailer pulled by a classic wood-paneled vintage Jeep Wagoneer. The tour laun...

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Italian aperitivo and digestivo are distinct categories of spirits, with fairly specific uses and characteristics, from colors and flavors to alcoholic strength. Bear in mind that language is slippery and there can be drinks that are considered aperitivi and digestive that don’t necessarily fall into either category. For instance, a Pilsner can ser...

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Fernet Branca—the dark, mentholated, Italian elixir that helped popularize amaro culture in the United States—contains zero Italian-sourced ingredients, or at least none that it admits to. In classic amaro tradition, Fratelli Branca maintains tight-lipped secrecy around its recipe, but what we do know is that it is composed of rhubarb from China, g...

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Amaro means bitter in Italian, and bitterness is definitely what we'd consider a grown-up taste. When we're young we're pre-disposed to sweet, and we can't bear bitterness on our tongues. However, most of us grow to appreciate bitter things gradually, moving up from dark chocolate and coffee to radicchio and broccoli raab as we mature. An amaro is...

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