Nice. I was just posting on the Spirits thread about my Martini tonight.+1 for Dolin in martinis. St. George Terroir gin + Dolin Dry + Lemon Twist = $$$
If anyone hasn't mentioned it yet, Balcones Rye is terrible and nobody should buy it. If you see it, alert me immediately so I can complain to the store in question.
I should have posted about my TWO Woodford Reserve / Carpano Antica Manhattans with Luxardo cherries....Nice. I was just posting on the Spirits thread about my Martini tonight.
While I adore some Amaro, what you've listed are not actually in that category. Dunno if that was intentional on your part, but Amari are specifically Italian (by origin of that class) and more recently can include non-Italian Bitter and Herbal Liqueurs (that part is very specific to the style).
I see how it could be interpreted that way, but I was not implying the list was amari. Instead of listing a bunch I wanted to simply call out the category. The remaining items below that first line are some of my favorite liqueurs.While I adore some Amaro, what you've listed are not actually in that category. Dunno if that was intentional on your part, but Amari are specifically Italian (by origin of that class) and more recently can include non-Italian Bitter and Herbal Liqueurs (that part is very specific to the style).
Some of the more well known Amari are:
Campari, Aperol, Amaro Nonino, Averna, Cynar, Fernet, Montenegro, as well as many others.
There are some very good American Amari being produced now as well.
Chartreuse and Benedictine are both commonly used as sweeteners and are not very bitter at all though strongly herbal. Luxardo is very sweet, neither herbal or bitter. Aguardiente is more a base spirit (as I've learned it) than a Liqueur, though it would not surprise me to find some that are made into Liqueurs while still maintaining the name of Aguardiente.
Of what you listed, Nocino is the closest to an Amaro-type Liqueur due to it's bitterness, but is still not really considered Amaro. Rather it is much more closely related to Limoncello in it's production and involves a significant amount of sweetening compared to the process of making true Amaro.
That said, I do agree with your assertion that exploring Amari is fun!
A beer mash (no hops), distilled and infused with chilies?
Whisky, honey and sloe berries, makes for easy drinking.
For something a whole lot more experimental - Empirical Spirits in Denmark focuses on making spirits that defy our usual classification. Not quite gin, rum, whisky, mezcal or tequila.
Sadly, none of these products appear to be available in Canada. I have looked for a few years now and do bring a few bottles back during my travels. And as well the original Galliano d'Authentico (sp?) with the higher ABV. Closest I can find in taste to that might be Strega.Tempus Fuget has a lot of good product: REAL good product.
That Gran Classico is probably the closest thing you will ever get to what Campari was meant to be. The company researches and deep dives into what the original Liqueur was meant to be and made by as close to the original recipe as possible. The Creme De Cacao TF makes is amazing. As is the Creme De Noyeaux. I made an absolutely religious Pink Squirrel using these Liqueurs and an Organic Local Heavy Cream....
Religions were built on less than this!
Anyway... If you can find that Gran Classico, its pretty solid. I do not buy Campari any more. Of course...
YMMV.
Enjoy!
Coffee is coffee - and amazing.If coffee is your thing, this is also delicious:
Arakú® - Shop - Hacienda Santa Teresa
A mixed rum and coffee liqueur, Arakú® is the result of combining Santa Teresa's aged rums, aged in American white oak barrels, with soft touches of creamy coffee and a refined and aromatic coffee infusion. Presentation: 0.75Lhaciendasantateresa.com.ve
