Amaro
Amaro is Italian for bitter. It is the name for a whole family of Italian herbal liqueurs: bittersweet, herbal and often dark in color. In Italy, amaro is drunk after a meal. Here you can read what amaro is, which brands are available and how to drink it.
Bitter, sweet and full of herbs
Amaro (plural: amari) is an Italian liqueur made from herbs, roots, flowers, bark and citrus peel. These are infused in alcohol or wine, after which sugar or caramel is added. Some amari are then aged in a barrel or bottle. There is no fixed recipe: each producer has their own blend, often with dozens of ingredients.
Almost every Italian region has its own amaro. They range from light and citrusy to dark and very bitter, like Fernet-Branca. The alcohol content is usually between 16 and 40%. In Italy, amaro is drunk as a digestivo: a small glass after a meal. Related to amaro are red aperitif bitters such as Campari and Aperol, which you drink before a meal.
In brief
Vecchio Amaro del Capo and Ramazzotti
Gall & Gall sells 4 bottles of amaro from two well-known brands: Calabrian Amaro del Capo and Milanese Ramazzotti.
Vecchio Amaro del Capo
From Distilleria Caffo in Calabria, made according to an old family recipe with 29 herbs, flowers, fruits and roots. Traditionally served ice-cold, straight from the freezer.
Amaro del Capo 20 cl
The same amaro in a small bottle. Handy for tasting or putting in the freezer.
Amaro del Capo gift packaging
The 70 cl bottle in gift packaging.
Ramazzotti Amaro
Since 1815, based on Ausano Ramazzotti’s recipe from Milan. With sweet Sicilian orange peel and bitter orange peel from Curaçao. A little smoother and sweeter than many other amari.
Amaro is drunk as a liqueur. Cocktail bitters are used by the drop. You can read about the difference on our bitters page.
Sweet first, then bitter
Herbs & orange
Herbs, roots and orange peel, often with hints of caramel, licorice or mint.
Bittersweet
Sweet and syrupy at first, followed by bitterness. How bitter it is varies by brand: Ramazzotti is smooth, while a fernet is very bitter.
Long and bitter
A long, slightly bitter finish that cleanses the palate. That is why amaro pairs so well with a heavy meal.
Flavor profile of an average amaro at around 30 to 35% ABV. A fernet scores lower in sweetness and higher in bitterness and strength.
Three ways to drink amaro
Amaro is usually drunk neat, in a small glass after dinner. But it is also delicious ice-cold or with tonic as an aperitif.
Straight after dinner
Pour 3 to 4 cl into a small glass at room temperature. This is how Italians drink their digestivo, often with or after coffee.
Glass: liqueur glass →Ice-cold or over ice
Put the bottle in the freezer, as is customary with Amaro del Capo, or pour the amaro into a tumbler over one large ice cube with a slice of orange.
With tonic
Fill a large glass with ice, pour in 5 cl of amaro and top up with tonic. Add a slice of orange for a bittersweet aperitif.
About tonic →Cocktails with amaro
Amaro gives a cocktail depth and a bitter edge. You can use it instead of, or alongside, Campari or sweet vermouth.
Negroni
Gin, Campari and sweet vermouth. Try replacing the Campari with Amaro del Capo for a spicier version.
Old Fashioned
Whiskey, sugar and bitters. With a splash of amaro instead of sugar, it becomes bittersweet and spicy.
Aperol Spritz
The best-known Italian aperitif. Try making it with a light amaro.Paper Plane
Bourbon, Amaro Nonino, Aperol and lemon juice, shaken in equal parts. A modern classic.
View recipe →Negroni Sbagliato
Campari, sweet vermouth and prosecco. Light and bittersweet, and easy to vary with amaro.
View recipe →Americano
Campari, sweet vermouth and sparkling water. Also delicious with an amaro instead of Campari.
View recipe →The right glass for amaro
A tumbler for amaro with ice, a small liqueur glass for drinking it neat after a meal, and a large glass for amaro and tonic. These are the glasses we recommend ourselves.
Everything you still wanted to know about amaro
Can't find your question here? Read more about herbal bitters or explore our Italian cocktails.
To Italian cocktails →What is amaro?
How much alcohol is in amaro?
How do you drink amaro?
What is the difference between amaro and Campari?
Is Fernet-Branca an amaro?
Which glass do you use for amaro?
Buy amaro
Want the bottle at home right away? Order amaro online from Gall & Gall.
Prices as of October 9, 2026, as provided by Gall & Gall. You can find the current price and stock at Gall & Gall. Glazen.nl receives a small commission if you buy something through these links; you pay nothing extra. No 18, no alcohol.