As you know, my historically-driven palate favors the spirits that were popular in 19th-century juleps, i.e. rye, Cognac, and rum. For my own julep recipe, I wanted to combine these three in equal parts with a favorite amaro (Braulio or dell’erborista are particularly good here, but there are many that would work!). I also decided to make the garnish do a little aromatic work, hence the nutmeg and shaved coffee bean, which hit the nose along with the mint upon first sip. The sherry float also contributes a nice aroma if desired!

There’s such a vast range of bitterness within the broader category of amaro and the bottles in this chapter feature a mini range on the bitter end of the spectrum. Most amari get their bitterness from gentian, cinchona bark, wormwood, and quassia, though there are other outliers that are less commonly used (like the tree sap in the Elisir Novasalus, below). Super-bitter amari have more potent digestive properties, making them even better suited than their milder cousins for making one feel better after a big meal.

This is another “in Al’s brain” subcategory. Similarly to the the spiced amari from Chapter 5, the ones in this group bring a very common amaro ingredient–in this case, bitter orange–into the spotlight. They harken back to classic after dinner flavors, too, like mint and chocolate; it brings to mind the “dessert” sections on nineteenth-century restaurant menus, full of oranges and other fruits (fresh and dried) and nuts. I almost called this group “after-dinner digestivo” but that felt a bit too redundant!

Leave it to the Italians to use vegetables as a base for amaro–and this chapter is all about amari made from members of the thistle family. Carciofo is the specific name for amari made from artichokes, but cardoon (aka artichoke thistle) and blessed thistle are both used in various amari as well. Amari featuring these ingredients often read as vegetal and earthy; their other botanicals, as well as the base (spirit vs. wine), differentiate the members of this family from one another.

Many amari feature spice notes–like baking spices and vanilla–as supporting characters, but there are some that feature spices as their primary flavors. This is another one of those subcategories that isn’t formally defined (it just exists in my head) and these three bottles came to mind immediately as perfect examples to illustrate what I mean.

Many people don’t know that fernet isn’t a product made by a single producer–Fratelli Branca–but a subcategory of amaro. It should be said, though, that its categorization as an amaro is sometimes disputed because many fernets are technically not liqueurs (contain no sugar except to color the spirit).

If you’ve paid attention to anything I’ve ever said about amaro, you’ll know that Amaro Braulio is my favorite–it has been for the past ten years. And, as a result, I see it as typical of the alpine category, but that isn’t strictly correct! “Alpine” just denotes the region of origin and the Italian Alps span several regions, from Lombardy, Valle d’Aosta, and Piedmont in the east to Friuli-Venezia Giulia and Trentino-Alto Adige in the west.

Rabarbaro is a subcategory of amaro wherein Chinese rhubarb root is a main botanical. This ingredient is naturally smoky, which is a throughline flavor in the category, as is earthiness (roots will do that!). Producers can distinguish themselves through their choices of other botanicals.

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.

I developed this stirred cocktail recipe for a class I taught online back in March of 2022. Its flavor profile–smoky, honeyed, and bitter–was inspired by those first grilling sessions of spring. It’s strong enough to stand up to a cool evening but fits in well on a warm day, too.

Spirit-forward drinks were stars of the Cocktail Renaissance–and they haven’t strayed much from the formula that was set over 200 years ago. This recipe reflects the resurgence of “old-world” spirits like Cognac and genever as well as the return of rye as a base for cocktails. The bitters in this Old-Fashioned come in the form of amaro, a darling of contemporary American cocktail culture. This drink harkens back to my Al-Pino Old-Fashioned recipe, which I developed in 2018 (original) and 2021 (2.0) respectively.

The Sgroppino hails from the Veneto and is traditionally made with lemon sorbet, prosecco, and grappa or vodka; some recipes call for limoncello. In looking at this template, I saw the potential to impart deeper flavors of red fruit, while still creating something that’s absolutely perfect for summer.

The Garibaldi–a simple but sublime mixture of fluffy orange juice and Campari–has skyrocketed to fame in recent years as part of the aperitivo craze. I was inspired to use pineapple juice by my friend Ned King’s Charles de Gaulle, which combines it with Suze, Amaro Alta Verde, and a little salt. Here, I fortified the mixture of the carciofo Cynar and pineapple with overproof bourbon for a very easy-drinking take on the template.

This is an ode to my usual digestivo: a mixture of fortified wine (almost always Italian!), amaro, and aperitivo liqueur, served in a single rocks glass with a lemon or orange twist. I named this one after two of my favorite Italian exports–Alfa Romeo sports cars and the original Campari cocktail, the Milano-Torino.

The Improved Cocktail was a more complex take on the original formula of spirit, sugar, bitters, and water that first appeared in print in the appendix of Jerry Thomas’s 1876 edition. In 2021, I spent a lot of time with this genre and I produced a template from which I derived recipes for rye, genever, and Spanish brandy iterations. I was pleased to have the opportunity to design one with an aged rum base for this month’s theme.

Smashes were all the rage from the 1830s through the Civil War period. In July 2021, we delved into its history and the (s)mash-up of nineteenth- and twentieth-century styles that produced the modern Smash. This one features my signature presentation and is laced with amaro and fortified wine, just like my on my Derby Smash (bourbon, rabarbaro, blanc vermouth, honey, mint). The “dry orange” bit in the title refers partially to the dry sherry and partially to a soda flavor by Polar, the pride of Worcester, MA.

I wanted to demonstrate a fancy application for our Club Pimm’s, and I immediately thought of doing a Pimm’s Cup Royale, i.e. topped with Champagne. I also wanted to integrate some of the traditional fruit and mint that are used in Pimm’s Cups and decided a Cobbler format would be the perfect vehicle. Served over crushed or pebble ice, our Pimm’s Royale is, naturally, garnished with abandon.

Here’s a fun serving suggestion for our homemade Club Pimm’s and our cucumber-lemon shrub: a do-it-yourself Pimm’s bar for your next gathering! I’m happy to say that this concept caters to drinkers and non-drinkers alike, so everyone will feel taken care of at your spring (or summer!) soirée.

I see our Club Pimm’s as a pre-batched cocktail, apéritif, and digestif all in one. It occurred to me that, served in the style of amaro caldo, it would make an excellent, warming beverage for a chilly evening or a rainy Sunday afternoon–both common in April where I live. Adjust the recipe below to suit the size of your serving vessel.

I’ve long dreamt of creating my own homemade Pimm’s. The original Pimm’s No.1 is great, but I wanted to come up with something with pronounced bitterness, more body and oomph. I’m really excited about what I came up with–it is both a complete standalone cocktail and an excellent ingredient in mixed drinks.