The Bitter Season
A guide to bracing, herbaceous, old-man amaro—and the cocktails to use it in this fall.
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Amaro simply means “bitter” in Italian. Where drinking is concerned, it refers to any herb-infused liqueur. This can include apéritivo (dry; before dinner), digestivo (sweet; after dinner), fernet (extra bitter), vermouth (made with wine), and dozens of others.
Cardamaro, like all six of these bottles, is from Italy, but some amari hail from other European countries.