Ingredients
Hand-picked Calabrian citrus does the heavy lifting — bergamot, grapefruit, bitter and sweet orange, PGI Rocca Imperiale lemon — over Sila gentian and wormwood, with rosemary, oregano, eucalyptus, coriander and vanilla filling in around them. Each botanical is infused separately before the blend is assembled.
- ✦Bergamot
- ✦Grapefruit
- ✦Bitter and sweet orange
- ✦Rocca Imperiale PGI lemon
- ✦Gentian
- ✦Wormwood
- ✦Rosemary
- ✦Oregano
- ✦Eucalyptus
- ✦Coriander
- ✦Vanilla
History of the Brand
Vecchio Magazzino Doganale takes its name from an old customs warehouse on the Calabrian Tyrrhenian coast; the house was revived by Ivan Trombino, a descendant of the family that ran it.
The brand's origin story credits Captain Jefferson, whose ship went down off Calabria in 1871 and who, sheltered at the warehouse, is said to have made what he called an 'amaro importante.'
The modern bottling launched in 2016, built entirely on Calabrian botanicals, most of them hand-harvested by the company's own agricultural arm.
It was named best liqueur at the 2018 World Liqueur Awards, which pushed it onto cocktail lists well beyond Italy.
Tasting Characteristics
Bergamot, orange peel, rosemary and eucalyptus.
Bright citrus entry, then gentian and wormwood, with vanilla and coriander softening the middle.
Long, herbal and persistently bittering.
Flavor meter
How to serve it
- 01Neat at room temperature with a strip of orange peel.
- 02Straight from the fridge, but never the freezer.
- 03Over ice with a wedge of Calabrian lemon.
- 04In a Negroni or Americano in place of the usual bitter.
- 05Split with rye in a stirred drink.
Where to Get It
Widely available in Italy and increasingly stocked by U.S. specialty shops, though distribution is still patchy state to state.
Specialty bottle shops
Craft-amaro shelves; $32–$45.
Online spirits retailers
Search 'Jefferson Amaro Importante'.
Calabria
Easy to find across the region and in Italian supermarkets.
Where to buy Amaro Jefferson
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Amaro Jefferson FAQ
What is Amaro Jefferson?
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Jefferson Amaro Importante is a Calabrian amaro from Vecchio Magazzino Doganale, built on hand-picked Calabrian citrus and bottled at 30% ABV.
Why is it called Jefferson?
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The brand's story credits Captain Jefferson, shipwrecked on the Calabrian coast in 1871, who is said to have made the original 'amaro importante' at the old customs warehouse.
How does Jefferson compare to Nonino?
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Both lead with orange, but Jefferson is a Calabrian citrus amaro with bergamot and firm gentian bitterness, while Nonino is built on a cask-aged grape distillate and drinks silkier.
What does Amaro Jefferson taste like?
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Bergamot, lemon and orange peel over rosemary and eucalyptus, with gentian and wormwood carrying a long herbal finish.
Is Amaro Jefferson hard to find?
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Not in Italy. In the U.S. it turns up in specialty shops, but distribution varies by state.