Amaretto is a bittersweet—or, “little bitter”—almond-flavored liqueur. Many recipes also call for the inclusion of apricot, peach, or other stone-fruit pits, as the “original” amaretto is thought to have contained them. There are competing amaretto origin stories, but the most colorful one dates to 1525, when Renaissance painter Bernardino Luini, while completing a fresco in the Duomo of Saronno, Lombardy, received an almond liqueur as a gift from a local woman who modeled for him (and who was also probably his lover).
Amaro may be Italy’s greatest contribution to drinks culture; it’s a category so vast and regionally diverse that many books have been written on the topic (including the indispensable “Big Book of Amaro” by Matteo Zed). At its most basic, amaro is a bitter liqueur made by macerating herbs, spices, fruits, barks, flowers, etc. in a neutral spirit, then filtering, diluting, and sweetening the solution for palatability. Originally crafted as medicinal elixirs designed to aid digestion, they were later marketed as consumer products to be enjoyed as after-dinner drinks. The best amari offer a precise balance of bitter/sweet sensations and are produced without any artificial colorings, flavorings, or sweeteners. Balancing sweetness and bitterness is key (most high-volume commercial amari are excessively sweet). According to Zed, “true amari are those obtained from the infusion of botanicals into ethyl alcohol, with a percentage of sugar less than 70 grams per liter.”
Aperitivo Bitters are perhaps best classified as lighter-weight amari, since they usually draw from the same palette of bitter ingredients (quinine bark, gentian root, bitter orange peel, etc.). Vermouth is considered the original bitter aperitivo, although it is now in a class by itself—a “fortified wine” accentuated with botanicals, as opposed to a “liqueur” with a spirit-only base. The alcohol levels of aperitivi tend to be lower than those of amari, and they are thought of as appetite-stimulators rather than digestives. The production methodologies for producing aperitivi bitters are effectively the same as those for amari.
Arancia is Italian for “orange,” one of the most popular liqueur ingredients—whether it’s one of many ingredients or a solo act in an Italian take on triple sec.
Aquavitae, from the Latin for “water of life,” differs from grappa in that it is distilled from actual wine, whereas grappa is distilled from the solids left over from a wine fermentation. Producers also use the term acquavitae for spirits that are derived from sources other than grapes or grains—as in the Alto Adige, for example, where there’s a tradition of producing spirits from the fermented juice of apples, pears, plums, and other fruits.
Bergamotto is one of Italy’s many variety-specific citrus liqueurs, in this case incorporating bergamot oranges native to southern Italy (especially Calabria and Sicily). It is one of many riffs on traditional Rosolio, which is not, despite the way its name sounds, related to rose water. “Rosolio” is from the Latin “ros solis” (“sun’s tears”) and is used to describe a host of liqueurs from Italy’s many sun-drenched citrus-growing regions.
Bombardino was originally named for a drink that was an Alpine Italian answer to an old-fashioned egg “flip.” Legend is that a bartender in the Italian Alps became famous for his warm mixture of whisky, milk, and zabaglione (marsala-egg custard), which one enthusiastic patron dubbed a “bombardino” (“little bomb”). The term is now used to describe a category of egg-based liqueurs, essentially bottled egg nogs, which have become a specialty of the South Tyrol (Alto Adige) and other parts of Alpine Italy. The first “commercial” example of a bombardino-type liqueur was VOV, created in the mid-19th century by a pastry chef in Padova, in the Veneto (his version also incorporated zabaglione).
Whether poured on their own (a.b.v.’s are in the 17%-20% range, enough for them to be shelf-stable) or further fortified with brandy, whisky, or something else, bombardino liqueurs are usually served warm (bartenders often use the milk-foaming wand on an espresso machine), with whipped cream and a dash of cocoa powder.
China (KEE-na) is a type of aperitivo bitter whose principal ingredient is cinchona (quinine) bark. Historically, cinchona/quinine was prized for its anti-malarial properties. The iconic brand China Martini was created in Turin in the mid-19th century.
Eau-de-vie is another way of saying “water of life” and is a term often reserved for fruit “brandies” made from fruits other than grapes—i.e. apples (mele), apricots (albicocche), pears (pere), plums (prugne), etc.
Fernet has evolved into its own category of amaro, known for its intense, somewhat medicinal bitterness, lower sugar content, darker color, and more herbal finish relative to most other amaro styles. Fernet Branca is the best-known brand among a multitude of examples. The origins of the term “fernet” are unclear.
Fragolino is a wild strawberry liqueur.
Génépy/Genepì is a cousin of Chartreuse in that it is an herbal liqueur incorporating artemisia absinthium, a.k.a. wormwood, the aromatic mountain herb that also plays a key role in traditional vermouth recipes as well as in absinthe. The artemisia used for genepì is found at high elevations in the Alps, Pyrenees, and, to a lesser extent, the Apennines; the plants are hardy, rosemary-like bushes that grow in rocky areas, with silvery-green leaves often covered with downy-white “fur” (like sage or tarragon) and pale yellow flowers. Historically, wormwood was prized for its myriad medicinal properties: not only is it said to aid digestion but it is also considered an anti-inflammatory, fever-reducer, and antiseptic, among other things (one of its active ingredients, thujone, was thought to have hallucinogenic properties, which caused absinthe to be banned in the US for an extended period).
Genziana is made from the roots (and sometimes also the leaves and flowers) of the gentian plant, a blue-flowered mountain shrub. The liqueur is produced by macerating dried gentian roots in wine and either distilling or fortifying that mixture. Given where the plant grows, gentian is popular in mountainous areas—not just Trentino, Alto Adige, etc. but southern regions like Abruzzo, which has a long history of genziana production as a by-product of the transumanza, the bi-annual migration of sheep and cows between mountain and valley pastures. According to our friends at Scuppoz Liquori in Teramo, Abruzzo, it may well have been local shepherds—and more specifically, their sheep—who first discovered the curative properties of gentian root. “The shepherds noticed that the sheep, satisfied after grazing, continually went to lick Gentian plants,” explains Anna Iannetti of Scuppoz. “This curious habit made them understand, over time, that the roots stimulated digestion.”
Gianduotto is a creamy chocolate liqueur made from Piedmontese gianduja, a mixture of chocolate and hazelnut paste first invented during Napoleon’s short reign in Italy (1796-1814).
Gin is now a bona fide phenomenon in Italy, for reasons that should be obvious: Perhaps no distilled spirit provides more
of an avenue for creative exploration and recipe development using ingredients that are readily at hand. Juniper, the key
ingredient in gin, is part of the cypress family and grows wild in many parts of Italy; the best quality juniper berries for gin
are believed by many to come from high-elevation areas of Tuscany. Check out this Tuscany testimonial from the producers of
Bombay:
https://www.diffordsguide.com/producer/1166/bombay-sapphire-distillery/juniper-from-tuscany-italy
Grappa is a signature “wine-nation” spirit (in France they call it marc; in Spain, orujo), produced from the solid matter (skins, pulp, stems, seeds) left behind after a wine has been pressed. It is a “pomace brandy,” more rustic in flavor and texture than a brandy distilled only from wine, although there are some producers who coax incredible refinement and perfume from their seemingly humble raw ingredients. One key is using the freshest pomace possible, another is the use of “batch” rather than “continuous” distillation, so that only the heart of each batch is selected for bottling.
Limoncello is the Italian spirits answer to Valpolicella or Chianti wine: a historic regional product beloved by tourists and eventually dispersed throughout the world via industrial-scale production. While it is made all over Italy, Limoncello is most readily identified with the Sorrento Peninsula and Amalfi Coast of Campania; both areas now have IG (Geographic Indications) for these liqueurs, as do parts of Puglia and Calabria. Limoncello is a straightforward maceration of lemon rinds in alcohol, diluted with water and sugar, whose quality is driven by two key factors: the quality of the fruit and the balance of bitterness and sweetness (most mass-market limoncello is cloyingly sweet, which has tarnished the reputation of a product once served proudly and ceremoniously to guests).
Liquirizia is a licorice-root liqueur traditionally associated with Calabria but found in many other Italian regions. Dark and viscous, it is produced from a neutral spirit infused with licorice extract that is diluted and sweetened (and sometimes further seasoned) like an amaro.
Liquore al Caffe is coffee liqueur, sometimes flavored with other ingredients like vanilla, traditionally associated with Bologna.
Maraschino is a traditional liqueur derived from sour Marasca cherries, which, according to Renato Vicario’s “Italian Liqueurs: History and Art of a Creation,” were a specialty of the Dalmatian Coast. “In Padua,” writes Vicario, “one family [Luxardo] living in Torreglia, originally from Dalmatia, has been producing Maraschino for decades, after being exiled from their homeland at the end of the First World War.” Maraschino, of which Luxardo’s straw-covered bottle is the best-known example, is produced by infusing the cherries, along with some leaves and branches, in an alcohol solution. After an extended period, this infusion—solids and all—is distilled; the resulting clear distillate is matured in neutral-wood vats and later diluted and sweetened.
Mirto is a Sardinian myrtle liqueur typically found among the amari in most bars and restaurants. Both the berries and the leaves of this wild Mediterranean bush are utilized: the purple-black berries are macerated in alcohol to create Mirto Rosso, while Mirto Bianco is produced from the resiny, aromatic leaves (myrtle branches/leaves also factor into Sardinian cooking; sprigs are used as aromatic enhancement in the same way many use rosemary). According to author Renato Vicario, myrtle “occupies a prominent place for its medicinal uses in the writings of Hippocrates, Pliny, Dioscorides, and Galen.”
Mistrà is a bitter, liqueur with a close relationship to other anise-flavored beverages such as sambuca, anisette, and ouzo. Lazio and Marche are most closely associated with mistrà, the traditional recipes for which call for aniseed, coriander, fennel seed, and orange peel.
Nocino has become synonymous with Modena, in Emilia-Romagna, where there is a longstanding tradition of harvesting walnuts in June, while they are still green on the outside and white inside, and producing liqueur from them via infusion. The essential oils of the walnut are extracted and usually augmented with other herbs and spices depending on which of countless family recipes one chooses to follow. Nocino became so important to Modena that an official “Order of the Nocino Modenese” was created in 1978. Raw-walnut bitterness is obviously the calling-card flavor, offset by a subtle caramelized sweetness.
Rabarbaro is an amaro derived from the roots of the rhubarb plant, which many mixologists known better for its stalks, which can be cooked to produce a delicately sweet syrup. The roots, meanwhile, are known for producing a distinct smoky flavor when infused with alcohol, and, like all amari, the mixture is diluted and sweetened for consumption.
Ratafía is a sweet, somewhat syrupy liqueur usually based on sour cherry varieties and seasoned with assorted botanicals. The name is said to come from the Latin phrase Pax rata fiat (“peace is ratified”), as the liqueur was often drunk to celebrate the ratification of a treaty or any other momentous occasion. Key production areas are Abruzzo and Piedmont. Both the history and formulation of ratafía are subject to broad interpretation, as the base spirit in which the cherries are macerated varies and versions are produced not just in Italy but France, Spain, and elsewhere. Because both the fruit and pit of the cherry are used, there is typically a heavy almond-like note to the flavor (from the pits).
Rosolio is an ancient term (meaning “sun’s tears”) applied to a range of citrus-based liqueurs from mostly southern Italian regions.
Sambuca/Anisetta/Mistrà is a big, important category of anise-flavored liqueurs, one that is dominated by a few iconic brands and is perhaps under-appreciated by the spirits cognoscenti. As with so many other liqueurs, achieving a proper balance of sweetness and bitterness is critical, especially given the powerful licorice flavor of the key ingredient. In the ancient world, anise was highly prized for its medicinal properties, as Renato Vicaro details brilliantly in Italian Liqueurs: History and Art of a Creation: “The populations of the Eastern Mediterranean, including the Greeks and the Romans, used [anise] medicinally in many ways; as a breath freshener, an aphrodisiac, a digestive aid, a cough suppressant, to relieve flatulence and to combat nausea. It was so highly valued that…the Romans seem to have used it to pay part of their taxes.”
Slivovitz is a plum brandy more readily associated with Slovenia than Italy, although it could rightly be called a specialty of the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region and other parts of Northeast Italy. Like other eau-di-vie, it is derived by crushing and fermenting Damson plums into a plum “wine,” then distilling that wine to derive the spirit.
Vermouth is another category to which volumes of literature have been devoted, most of them placing its origins in Turin, in Piedmont, where, in 1786, Benedetto Carpano created a fortified, “aromatized” wine incorporating artemisia absinthium (wormwood) and other botanicals. Carpano used a German word for wormwood (wermut) to describe this new beverage, which of course became the cornerstone of Italian aperitivo culture. Adding botanicals and other flavorings to wine goes back much farther than 1786—the Greeks and Romans did so for medicinal and preservative purposes, and likely did the same with water to make it potable—but to have such a well-documented and widely agreed-upon origin story for vermouth is a rarity in the wine and spirits world. Although all the great wine nations of Europe (France and Spain especially) were hot on Italy’s heels in developing vermouth cultures of their own, Italy—and especially Turin—is the mothership.
Whisky isn’t exactly the first thing you think of when you think of Italian spirits, but, as with gin and vodka and anything else where a fine-tuned sense of flavor and top-quality ingredients are involved, Italian producers show an amazingly deft touch.
