Cinchona bark, called china in Italian and pronounced 'kee-na', contains quinine. It arrived in Europe from Peru in the seventeenth century as a malaria treatment, and Italian pharmacists promptly made it palatable by steeping it in sweetened, fortified alcohol. That is the origin of the china and ferro-china bottlings still made today.
Quinine bitterness is distinct: dusty, dry and lingering, without the earthiness of gentian or the sharp herbal edge of wormwood. It hangs on the back of the tongue and is the reason tonic water tastes the way it does.
Ferro-china bottlings add iron salts, a nineteenth-century tonic idea that survives in Ferro-China Bisleri and Ferro-China Baliva — genuinely medicinal-tasting and beloved for exactly that reason.
What cinchona tastes like
Dry, dusty, persistent bitterness with a cocoa edge.
Behind the bar
- ✦China amari are natural cola and coffee partners.
- ✦Quinine bitterness builds across a session — keep pours modest.
- ✦Excellent with dark rum and a lemon twist over a single large cube.
Amari made with cinchona
Bottles from the Encyclopedia of Amaro that list it among their botanicals.
- Amaro AbanoVeneto, Northern Italy · 35% ABV
- Amer PiconSold as Picon Bière and Picon Club in France · 18% ABV (originally 39%)
- Antica Torino Amaro della SacraPiedmont · 30%
- AperolVeneto, Northern Italy · 11% ABV
- Barolo ChinatoPiedmont, Northern Italy · 16–17% ABV (varies by producer)
- Amaro BèrtoPiedmont, Northern Italy · 24.5% ABV
- Bigallet China-China AmerBugey, France · 40% ABV
- Bonal Gentiane-QuinaFrench Alps · 16% ABV
- Byrrh Grand QuinquinaPyrénées-Orientales · 17% ABV
- Amaro CamattiLiguria, Northern Italy · Around 30% ABV
- CampariPiemonte, Northern Italy · 20.5–25% ABV depending on market
- China MartiniPiedmont, Northern Italy · 31% ABV
Cinchona: frequently asked questions
What is a china amaro?
A china (kee-na) amaro is built on cinchona bark, the source of quinine. It tastes dry and dusty-bitter, often with cocoa and cola notes.
Does china amaro contain real quinine?
Yes, in the small quantities that come from macerating cinchona bark — far below any medicinal dose.