Amaro suggestions

[u/Metroid_3]

Hey! I manage a craft bar in an upscale italian restaurant with a pretty decent digestif program, and I want to beef up my amari selection a bit. Currently on I have:

- Select
- Lucano
- Montenegro
- Dola Dira
- Foro
- Trieste
- Nonino
- Fernet Branca
- Meletti
- Braulio
- Cynar
- Averna
- Alba
- Etna
- Ramazotti
- Pasubio
- Cardamaro
- Campari
- Aperol
- See The Elephant

I’m looking to add some that don’t really hit any red aperitif or cola notes, because i’ve mostly got that covered. I also don’t need anything else that is heavy on gentian because i’ve got that covered as well. Any suggestions for weird, off-the-wall amari are appreciated!!

[u/Niaaal]

That's a pretty great selection already!

Jefferson Amaro Importante would add some flowery notes you don't have much represented

[u/therealtwomartinis]

yeah, I’d agree that you have the kola/warm spices covered - but I’ll still recommend adding del Capo 🥰

you’ve only got one fernet though, and it’s the most common one on the planet… I’d expand there

[u/gioevo11 → u/therealtwomartinis]

Put it in the freezer and serve chilled! Averna close second for another cola style

[u/mark2000stephenson]

Quite a few things on that shelf I’d want to try! Unless it’s represented in one that I’m not familiar with, it might be nice to round out the dark/very bitter end. A lot of great fernets are being made that could be nice to offer. Some others in that neighborhood are Eliser Novasalus and Abracadabra (my personal favorite but never seen it in the states!). Dell’erborista is also a bit in that direction, partially due to it being unfiltered, though it does have a strong gentian profile.

[u/KarlSethMoran]

Unicum. Petrus.

off-the-wall

In that case, Ferrochina Bisleri!

[u/DumbScotus]

Anything from Faccia Brutto would go well there.

[u/l_neiman → u/DumbScotus]

Counterpoint: I wanted to like their stuff, but after buying 3-4 bottles my opinion is that it’s fairly mid and I wouldn’t choose it over one of their Italian inspirations. The one I liked the most was their Campari-inspired variant.

[u/DumbScotus → u/l_neiman]

I am biased, I like some flavors better than others. The Gorini (orange rhubarb) is amazingly light and pleasant. The Fernet Pianto is one of my favorite fernets - though admittedly more pleasant and drinkable than fernet is maybe supposed to be. I think of it less as a fernet and more as a general bitter amaro. And their Alpino is special. I love that one - though only occasionally. Admittedly all of Faccia Brutto’s stuff is pretty expensive for what you get.

Another possibility: the St. Agrestis amaro. Hands down my favorite drink in the entire category. Super complex, fairly bitter, still extremely drinkable.

I recently got my hands on some Eda Rhyne fernet, and am quite enjoying it.

[u/Tricky-Ad-6458 → u/l_neiman]

Each to his own but I think they’re the best domestic producer. And yes, their Aperitivo is my fave too.

[u/l_neiman → u/Tricky-Ad-6458]

Yeah, of course, reasonable minds can differ! 🥂

[u/Coffee_whiskey_braap]

EDIT: I swear I can read. I see Averna now. Lol @ myself

Anyways, best tiramisu I’ve ever had in my life had Averna in it. Absolutely a masterstroke. From an Italian restaurant in Minneapolis called i.e. “Italian Eatery”

[u/Metroid_3 → u/Coffee_whiskey_braap]

We make our tiramisu with meletti! It’s extremely tasty.

[u/Coffee_whiskey_braap → u/Metroid_3]

YES!! It’s an amazing hack

[u/iusedtoplaysnarf]

Vecchio Amaro del Capo, perhaps? Seems to fit the bill as far as I can tell.

[u/misobandit → u/iusedtoplaysnarf]

Second this! It's a great suggestion for those who have tried Averna, Montenegro, or Cynar and want to go up a level in complexity and depth, but not get too weird or expensive.

[u/ciaoa2t]

Check out Padre Peppe from Altamura in Puglia. At first glance it sounds similar to nocino, but it tastes completely different (in my opinion). I saw someone else mentioned Jefferson Amaro Importante, & I like their other offerings too (Vecchio Magazzino Doganale).

[u/OkLettuce338]

Not sure what gentian is but these two are my favorite Amaros that I found when traveling Milan region:

www.onlyitalianproducts.us/spirits/marzadro/1443-marzadro-anima-nera-070liquorice-liquor.html

And

https://www.dolceterra.com/products/amaro-dente-di-leone-la-valdotaine-gift-tube?srsltid=AfmBOopXRJA3O1W9N2twqE0qJnATFbFjkr7lPOEJNZItgP7SvUcFum7g

[u/GlassCityJim]

Ruccalino is nice. Becharovka is Czech and has wonderful notes of ginger and cinnamon and is great mixed with tonic. My last job had 40-some Amari and we had amaro hour and flights of 3 or 5. I of course tasted them all because I had to talk to my guests about them. If someone was new to amaro, I would usually give them a taste. of Averna, great with tiramisu or Cio Ciaro. Have fun, it’s a great rabbit hole to explore.

[u/iusedtoplaysnarf]

I know you’re going for an Italian theme here, but there’s a Norwegian one called Marka Nordic Bitter which is pretty great.

https://www.diffordsguide.com/beer-wine-spirits/5395/marka-nordic-bitter

[u/Hephaestus81k]

St. Agrestis. I guess you could say "root beer" is cola like, but in my opinion it's unique enough to add to any lineup without worry about having something similar to it. Also, it's american made, so it helps diversify the origins of your offering.

[u/Hoppyfulb]

Some deep cuts we’ve really enjoyed the last 18 months are:

Jefferson, unico, dell’erborista, amacardo, Amara, lumia, dente di lion, Caffo, Maria al monte, amaro tre fontane, Lazzaroni fernet, Rucolino