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Greetings, my dear reader. In today’s article, I decided to touch on the topic of the wonderful Italian drink amaro, whose history goes back more than a hundred years. I will tell you in more detail about its origin, classification and describe the recipes for the most famous cocktails based on this liquor.
The history of the emergence of Amaro
What is an Amaro drink? It means “bitter” in Italian. It is considered the most popular Italian digestif.
Such liqueurs were popular, so their production was widespread in Europe. In different countries, for example, the drink is called differently, but the name amaro belongs primarily to Italian liqueurs.
The beginning of the mass production of amaro in Italy dates back to the 1800s, when a large share of the production capacity belonged to enterprises. Any manufacturer tried to protect the recipe of the drink and hid the list of ingredients. It happened that only a few employees could be aware of the technology. And some of the modern manufacturers have preserved the original recipe of the XIX century, first tested in medieval monasteries.
The year of the invention of the aforementioned Amaro Montenegro is considered to be 1885, during this period in Bologna it was produced by the colorful Italian alcohol magnate Stanislav Cobianchi. The liquor owes its name to Elena of Montenegro (the second princess of Italy), after whom it was named (Montenegro from the Italian “Montenegro”), since the year of her marriage coincided with the year the drink was created.
Probably, amaro would not have received due distribution in Italy if Gabriele d’Annunzio had not put his hand to the drink. Being a man with a creative lifestyle, he had a craving for any alcoholic beverage and this played an important role in popularizing amaro among the local population. First of all, this concerns Amaro Montenegro, he gave him the status of a “virtuous” liquor. Gabriele himself was an active supporter of the local fascist regime, and Mussolini, in turn, bestowed on him the title of prince. Therefore, there is nothing surprising in the fact that his words were heeded, despite all the tragic circumstances.
Palatability
Several dozen aromatic herbs and roots can be included in amaro at once. And a small part of the manufacturers even try to provide a detailed list of the ingredients used. According to statistics, the most common components of the liquor are: elderberry, licorice, lemon verbena, citrus root, noble laurel, gentian, lemon balm, citrus peel, saffron, wormwood, fennel, angelica, juniper, sage, Spanish artichoke, fragrant rue, mint, cardamom, cinchona, menthol, thyme, anise, cinnamon and ginger.
Features of preparation
The basis of amaro is an alcohol tincture, including various herbs, flower roots, citrus peels and neutral wines, which is filtered and mixed with sweet syrup, and later bottled or barreled and sent for aging until fully cooked.
The exact composition depends on the brand of the drink, however, many manufacturers still use old pharmaceutical recipes for herbal tinctures. The basic rule is that any liquor should contain only three components: firstly, a strong base, secondly, bitter ingredients and, thirdly, sweet-flavored additives. The most common brands of Amaro: Ramazzotti, Sibona, di Angostura.
Varieties of Amaro
A standard amaro can be recognized by its bittersweet aftertaste, but there are also more cloying versions, as well as variations that are dominated by a strictly medicinal taste. In terms of alcohol, they range from 16% to 40%.
Medium
It stands out with a taste that mimics a cross between sugary, bitter and citrus notes. Alcohol content: 32%.
Drink examples: Ramazzotti, Amaro Bio, Luxardo Amaro Abano.
Fernet
Rigid predominance of bitter aftertaste.
Яркие примеры: Luxardo Fernet, Fernet Branca, Amaro Santa Maria Al Monte.
Light
A distinctive feature is a light color with a bright citrus aftertaste.
These include: Amaro Nonino, Harry’s.
Alpine
Liqueur from Alpine rights tincture. A distinctive feature is the “smoky” flavor. The alcohol content is at 17%.
Representatives: Amaro Alpino, Amaro Braulio.
Vermouth
Light wine-based liqueur with a slight bitterness, containing about 18% alcohol. This liqueur is close to vermouth.
Options: Amaro Diesus del Frate, Don Bairo.
carciofo
A drink made by adding artichokes, usually consumed as an aperitif. On the bottles, you should look for the inscriptions Carciofo or Cynar, since this type of bitterness is prepared by all and sundry.
Truffle
A distinctive feature is the black truffle in the composition with an alcohol content of 30%. Produced in the central region of Umbria, famous for its good truffles, or in San Marino.
China
It contains cinchona bark. The famous brand is China Martini, and it is produced in Turin.
Rhubarb
Prepared with rhubarb. The most famous brand is Zucca, production is located in Milan.
Rules of Use
Amaro is usually consumed neat, but some people like to add a slice of citrus to soften the bitterness. Some drink it diluted with soda and ice. Small elongated stacks or classic wine glasses are chosen as containers. It is believed that the liquor has medicinal properties, has a calming effect and improves digestion. Ideal to combine this drink with Italian cuisine: lasagna, pasta and olives.
Amaro based cocktails
Liquor is a popular base for many interesting cocktails, the production of which is described in more detail in various YouTube videos.
Mancini
Ingredients:
- Rye whiskey – 120 ml;
- Amaro – 30 ml;
- Orange bitter – added to taste.
Method of preparation:
Put everything you need inside the shaker. Pour into rocks glass, after shaking well. Add a large block of ice in a rectangular shape. To decorate, add an orange twist.
Negroni
Ingredients:
- Campari – 30 ml;
- Red vermouth – 30 ml;
- Gin – 30 ml.
Method of preparation:
Put everything you need in an old fashioned glass, fill it with ice cubes to the very brim. Gently stir everything and add a lemon twist for decoration.
Interesting Facts
And now I’ll stay a little “Wikipedia man”:
- Amaro is used not only as a drink, it is actively used in cooking and confectionery.
- Campari or Aperol in technical terms can also be attributed to amaro.
- More than 50 varieties of amaro liquor are common in Italy
- Cola with the addition of fernet is considered the Argentine national cocktail.
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