The Tasting Note
Russet brown with a garnet glint; it clings to the glass in slow, heavy legs.
Perfume before bitterness. Violet and saffron come up first, followed by burnt sugar, star anise and a curl of dried orange peel.
Plush and sweet up front, brown sugar and caramel, then saffron spreads across the middle with licorice and a floral lift. Gentian waits its turn and arrives late, keeping the sugar honest.
Anise and violet fade slowly into dry root, with a faint saffron warmth that lingers.
Silvio Meletti built his name on anisetta in Ascoli Piceno before setting down this amaro recipe in 1870, and the anise lineage shows. Not to be confused with the 25% Meletti 1870 red aperitivo, this is the 32% digestif: one of the most floral amari on the market and a bargain at the price. Pour it at room temperature in a small glass, or stir it into an espresso drink, where saffron and coffee meet surprisingly well.
Drink now.
— Robert Cross
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Pour It Into
Black Manhattan
Swap sweet vermouth for Averna and the Manhattan turns dark, silky, and faintly medicinal.
Amaro Highball
Three ingredients, one tall glass, the cleanest way to learn what an amaro really tastes like.
Caffè Corretto
The Italian way to end any meal: a thimble of amaro alongside a fresh espresso.
Amaro Espresso Martini
Espresso martini with the sugar pulled out and Averna dropped in.
Amaro Sour
Egg-white silk over dark bitter herbs.
Where to Buy
Where to buy Amaro Meletti
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The Bitter Brief
One short Friday dispatch: a bottle worth buying, a cocktail worth mixing, and a little Italian history.