Amaro means "bitter" in Italian. It is also the name for a broad category of herbal liqueurs that spans everything from the light and approachable (Montenegro, at 23% ABV and barely bitter at all) to the aggressively medicinal (Fernet-Branca, at 39% ABV and so bitter that first-time drinkers sometimes check whether they've been served cleaning fluid). Understanding where different amari sit on this spectrum is the first step to building a serious Italian spirits cabinet.
The category is ancient. Medieval monks in northern Italy were producing herbal liqueurs for "medicinal purposes" — a legal fiction that persisted for centuries — by the 12th and 13th centuries. Most of the great amari brands were formalised in the 19th century, when industrialisation made consistent production possible and the aperitivo ritual emerged as a middle-class cultural institution.
How to read an amaro
Every amaro has three axes worth understanding: bitterness (low to aggressive), sweetness (low to high), and dominant flavour profile (citrus, herbal, root, alpine, or regional). The most useful mental model is a simple matrix: bittersweet amari (Montenegro, Averna) sit in the centre; lighter amari (Aperol, Aperitivo Select) sit toward sweet and low-bitter; aggressive amari (Fernet, Rabarbaro Zucca) sit toward high-bitter and low-sweet.
The family — from sweetest to most bitter
Aperol — Padua, Veneto (11% ABV)
Technically an aperitivo bitter rather than a classic amaro, but it belongs in this discussion as the entry point. Orange-forward, low ABV, distinctly sweet. Created in 1919 by the Barbieri brothers. If you can drink Aperol, you can drink anything on this list — it's just a question of how quickly you want to progress.
Montenegro — Bologna (23% ABV)
Often called the "bartender's handshake" — it's what a bartender orders when off duty. Montenegro is named for Queen Elena of Italy (née Princess of Montenegro) and was created in 1885 in Bologna. It's warm, aromatic, lightly sweet, with notes of dried orange, vanilla, and exotic spice. The bitterness is gentle and rear-loaded — it arrives only on the long finish. The ideal starting amaro for anyone who finds Campari too intense.
Drink it: On ice with a small orange peel. Or in a Montenegro Sour (Montenegro, lemon juice, sugar, egg white).
Averna — Caltanissetta, Sicily (29% ABV)
Sicily's most famous export after Marsala and cannoli. Dark, rich, and cola-like — Averna has a sweetness that many people describe as caramel and liquorice with herbal undertones. Created in 1868 when Benedictine monk Frà Girolamo passed his recipe to local merchant Salvatore Averna. It's a digestivo first but works beautifully on ice or in a simple cocktail (Averna and soda with orange is one of the great simple pleasures).
Drink it: Post-dinner, straight at room temperature or over ice. The Black Manhattan (Averna replaces sweet vermouth) is outstanding.
Cynar — Veneto (16.5% ABV)
We've covered Cynar at length in our dedicated guide. It belongs in the middle of the amaro spectrum — more bitter than Montenegro or Averna, less so than Fernet. The artichoke-derived earthiness gives it a character unlike anything else. Read the full Cynar guide here →
Zucca Rabarbaro — Milan (30% ABV)
Rhubarb-root amaro created in Milan in 1845, named for the Milanese dialect word for "pumpkin" (though pumpkin has nothing to do with it). Dark and dry, with a pronounced root-vegetable bitterness, smoky undertones, and a long finish that lingers for minutes. Not widely known outside Italy, which makes it the mark of a serious amaro collection. Excellent after dinner with espresso.
Fernet-Branca — Milan (39% ABV)
The most famous and most divisive amaro in existence. Created in Milan in 1845, it contains 27 herbs and botanicals including myrrh, rhubarb, chamomile, cardamom, aloe, and saffron. It is intensely bitter — menthol-forward on the nose, with a flavour that simultaneously tastes like a medicine cabinet and a herbal garden after rain. Argentinians drink more Fernet than any other country, mixed with Coca-Cola (Fernandito). Italians drink it straight, ice-cold, after very heavy meals. It is claimed to cure everything from hangovers to heartburn. None of these claims are medically verified.
Drink it: Straight from the freezer in a small chilled glass, or mixed with cold Coke if you want the Argentine experience. Not in cocktails unless you know exactly what you're doing.
Where to start
If you're new to amari: Montenegro. If you've had Montenegro and want more bitterness: Averna or Cynar. If you've mastered both and want the full Italian amaro experience: Fernet, served cold and straight after your next large dinner. Work your way across the spectrum slowly. The reward is a palate that can navigate the entire category with confidence.