Italian Amaro.
Where bitter is better.

Amaro (Italian for "bitter") is a category of Italian herbal liqueur traditionally served as a digestif after a meal. Most amari are made by macerating dozens of botanicals — herbs, roots, citrus peels, bark and flowers — in neutral spirit or wine, then sweetening lightly and aging.

Every region of Italy has its own amaro, from the bitter-mint punch of Milan's Fernet-Branca to the floral softness of Bologna's Amaro Montenegro and the silky barrel-aged elegance of Friuli's Amaro Nonino. Drink them neat, on the rocks with an orange peel, or in cocktails like the Paper Plane or the Black Manhattan.

Start with our guide to the 23 types of Italian amaro — every major style and brand compared by flavor family — or dig into the amaro ingredient glossary to learn what gentian, wormwood and rhubarb root actually taste like.