The rhubarb in amaro is not the pink stalk from a pie. Producers use the root of Chinese rhubarb, traditionally dried over open fires, which is why bottles such as Zucca Rabarbaro and Sfumato Rabarbaro carry a distinct campfire smoke alongside their bitterness.
Rhubarb root is tannic rather than aggressively bitter. It coats the palate, brings a cola-and-burnt-sugar darkness, and leaves the mouth feeling dry in a way that suggests tea more than medicine.
The rabarbaro family is small but beloved — it is the easiest entry point for drinkers who find gentian too austere and fernet too aggressive, and it is spectacular with soda and a lemon twist.
What rhubarb root tastes like
Smoke, cola, burnt sugar and drying tannin.
Behind the bar
- ✦Rabarbaro plus soda plus a fat lemon peel is one of the best low-ABV highballs in the canon.
- ✦Its smoke makes it a natural partner for mezcal and peated whisky.
- ✦Swap a quarter of the sweet vermouth in a Manhattan for rabarbaro to add depth without extra sugar.
Amari made with rhubarb root
Bottles from the Encyclopedia of Amaro that list it among their botanicals.
- Amaro 18 IsolabellaLombardy, Northern Italy · 30% ABV
- Amaro AbanoVeneto, Northern Italy · 35% ABV
- AmaricantePiedmont · 26%
- Amaro AngelenoUnited States · 24%
- 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
- Branca MentaLombardy, Northern Italy · 28% ABV
- BraulioLombardy, Italian Alps · 21% ABV
- Amaro CamaldoliTuscany · 21%
- Amaro CamattiLiguria, Northern Italy · Around 30% ABV
Rhubarb Root cocktails to make tonight
Recipes from the Cocktail Lab that use rhubarb root.
Rhubarb Root: frequently asked questions
What does rabarbaro amaro taste like?
Rabarbaro amari taste of smoke, cola and dark caramel with a dry, tannic finish — bitter but soft rather than sharp.
Is rabarbaro made from garden rhubarb?
No. It is made from the dried root of Chinese rhubarb, usually smoke-dried, which is where the signature campfire note comes from.