Soda-fountain amari
This is a catch-all term for a group of amaro that is grouped in my mind! They all feature an unchallenging bittersweet profile and have these soda fountain-esque flavors that reflect their long-ago past as patent medicines. I have chosen three examples that are easy to find and make for good starter amari.
AMARO SODA
What better way to lengthen these “soda-fountain amari” than with soda! I’d do about 1 part amaro to two parts seltzer or club soda. Think of it as an even more flavorful bitters and soda; folks that like amaro call for this kind of thing often at the bar and I think it’s very chic. I like to garnish with an orange or lemon twist, but a slice is nice, too!
ABV LEVEL
Amaro Ramazotti is one of the oldest products in the world of amaro, created in that hotbed of bittersweet culture that was nineteenth-century Milan. It features a distinctive spiced bitter orange and root-beer profile.
Beloved by twenty-first-century American bartenders, Averna is a Sicilian amaro produced since the 1860s. It famously appears in lieu of sweet vermouth in a Black Manhattan. It tastes like cola, bitter creamsicle, and licorice.
Amaro Meletti is produced by the Marche-region producer best known for its anisette liqueur. Its amaro has been produced since the early 1900s and its flavor profile mixes anise (no surprise) with floral, spice, and citrus peel notes.