Amari & bitter friends: an update

Prior to The Great Site Update of Christmas 2014, we published a list of amari hidden under a link on the recommended brands page. We have put some time and thought into our bitter friends, and have split the list into our top dozen or so recommendations, plus a list of other amari that are available.

Some amari are easy to find; others ... not so much. There are hundreds of amari that aren't even imported to the US. Look for amari at larger liquor stores, or specialty stores in the Italian section of your city.

Click »»» Amari & friends ««« to read more, also available under RESOURCES.

 

Woxum

1 oz Applejack
1 oz Sweet vermouth
1⁄2 oz Herbal liqueur, Yellow Chartreuse
Instructions

Stir, strain, up.

Notes

Sort of an apple Bijou.

History

Standard disclaimer with all drinks from this book that Albert Stevens Crockett seems to have been a poor transcriber of the notes he acquired, with little understanding of ingredients or methods of preparation practiced at the Waldorf Astoria, and multiple attested or probable errors.

YieldsDrink
Year
1900s
Authenticity
Authentic recipe
Creator
Waldorf Astoria Hotel, NYC.
Source reference

Albert Stevens Crockett, Old Waldorf Bar Days, p. 173.

Curator rating
Not yet rated
Average rating
4.5 stars
(10 ratings)
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  • Witches' Blood — Scotch, Sweet vermouth, Strega, Cherry Liqueur, Blood Orange Bitters
  • Winter Cap — Bonal Gentiane Quina, Calvados, Demerara Rum, Becherovka, Orange peel
  • Puerto Rican Racer — Puerto Rican Rum, Apple brandy, Herbal liqueur, Peychaud's Bitters, Grenadine

Sidney Cocktail

1 1⁄3 oz Rye
2⁄3 oz Herbal liqueur, Yellow Chartreuse
1⁄3 oz Dry vermouth
Instructions

Stir, strain, up.

Notes

The text only specifies "French Vermouth," which could also be the sweet blanc style. Up to you.

YieldsDrink
Year
1930
Authenticity
Authentic recipe
Creator
"Jimmy," Ciro's.
Source reference

Cocktails by "Jimmy" late of Ciro's, p. 70, via Martin's Index.

Curator rating
Not yet rated
Average rating
3.5 stars
(3 ratings)
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  • 3-2-1 — Rye, Herbal liqueur, Dry vermouth
  • Gucci Sweater Now — Cognac, Bénédictine, Valdespino Jerez Quina, Dry vermouth
  • Forty Virtues — Armagnac, Bianco Vermouth, Herbal liqueur, Bonal Gentiane Quina, Orange bitters
  • Golden Dog — Scotch, Apricot liqueur, Aromatized wine, Bénédictine
  • Fontana — Rye, Aromatized wine, Herbal liqueur, Triple sec, Peychaud's Bitters

New Brunswick (1930)

2 oz Blended Scotch
3⁄4 oz Lemon juice
3⁄4 oz Maple syrup
Instructions

Shake, strain, up.

Notes

The original calls for 1 oz Scotch and 1/2 oz each of maple syrup and lemon juice.

YieldsDrink
Year
1930
Authenticity
Altered recipe
Creator
"Jimmy," Ciro's.
Source reference

Cocktails by "Jimmy" late of Ciro's, David McKay Company, p. 57, via Martin's Index.

Curator rating
Not yet rated
Average rating
4 stars
(1 rating)
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  • Kentucky Maid — Bourbon, Lime juice, Simple syrup, Cucumber, Mint
  • Basil Sour — Bourbon, Lemon juice, Simple syrup, Basil

Puritan Cocktail

1 1⁄2 oz Gin, Plymouth
1⁄2 oz Dry vermouth
1⁄2 bsp Herbal liqueur, Yellow Chartreuse
3 ds Orange bitters
Instructions

Stir, strain, up.

YieldsDrink
Year
1926
Authenticity
Authentic recipe
Source reference

A Sideboard Manual for Gentlemen, The John Hamilton Ltd, London, p. 24, via Martin's Index.

Curator rating
Not yet rated
Average rating
4.5 stars
(10 ratings)
From other users
  • Lemon twist is essential here to balance out the Gin botanicals and Chartreuse sweetness
  • 2oz (60ml) gin .75oz (22.5ml) Yellow Chartreuse .5oz (15ml) Dry Vermouth 2 Dashes Feegans Orange Bitters Lemon Twist
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  • Astoria Bianco — Gin, Bianco Vermouth, Orange bitters
  • Girly-O — Gin, Dry vermouth, Cherry Liqueur, Orange bitters, Lemon peel

Alaska improved with dry vermouth, very nice. I've seen this on a menu with Dolin Blanc for Dry Vermouth, under the name "Vandelay Industries" which comes off a bit too sweet still.

Gonzalez

2 oz Gin, Beefeater
3⁄4 oz Sweet vermouth, Carpano Punt e Mes
1⁄4 oz Maraschino Liqueur, Luxardo
2 ds Bitters, Bitter Truth Aromatic
Instructions

Stir, strain, up.

History

Phil Ward named this after Jess Gonzalez, D&C's first female bartender.

YieldsDrink
Year
2008
Authenticity
Authentic recipe
Creator
Phil Ward, Death & Co, NYC.
Source reference

Death & Co Cocktail Book.

Curator rating
4 stars
Average rating
3.5 stars
(10 ratings)
From other users
  • Made it with Beefeater 24; tweaked the ratios in some unknown manner.
  • Nice flavor profile but too similar to cherry cough syrup for most people in/before my generation
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Steel Hibiscus

1 oz Old Tom Gin, Ransom
3⁄4 oz Sorel liqueur
3⁄4 oz Lime juice
1⁄2 oz Passion fruit syrup
1 twst Lime peel (lime wheel)
Instructions

Shake, strain over ice in a Collins, garnish with a lime wheel.

YieldsDrink
Authenticity
Authentic recipe
Creator
Thea Sasseen, Herbsaint, NOLA.
Source reference

http://jackfrombrooklyn.com/recipe/steel-hibiscus/

Curator rating
Not yet rated
Average rating
3.5 stars
(2 ratings)
From other users
  • Heavier on the passion fruit than I'd like.
Similar cocktails
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Santa Rosa (Dear Irving)

1 oz Aromatized wine, Cocchi Americano Rosa
1 oz Pisco
1 oz Sorel liqueur
3 Brandied cherry, Luxardo (muddled)
1 ds Absinthe (aromatic spritz, as garnish)
Instructions

Muddle, shake, strain over crushed ice in a Collins, spritz, garnish with another Luxardo cherry and a mint sprig.

Notes

The recipe might be missing an ingredient: the directions call for shaking lime juice, but there's no quantity listed.

YieldsDrink
Year
2014
Authenticity
Authentic recipe
Creator
Dear Irving, NYC.
Source reference

http://jackfrombrooklyn.com/recipe/santa-rosa/

Curator rating
Not yet rated
Average rating
Not yet rated
Similar cocktails
No similar cocktails found.

Dark Magic

2 oz Jamaican rum, Coruba (dark)
1 oz Lime juice
1⁄2 oz Pineapple juice
1⁄2 oz Brown sugar coffee syrup (2 parts sugar : 1 part strong coffee)
1⁄4 oz Passion fruit syrup, B.G. Reynolds
1⁄4 oz Vanilla syrup, B.G. Reynolds
1 ds Bitters
8 dr Pastis, Herbsaint
8 oz Ice
Instructions

Blend for 5 1-seconed pulses and pour unstrained into a 12-oz hurricane glass.

Notes

A riff on the Mai-Kai's Black Magic.

YieldsDrink
Year
2010
Authenticity
Authentic recipe
Creator
Colonel Tiki
Source reference

http://coloneltiki.com/?p=430

Curator rating
Not yet rated
Average rating
Not yet rated
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  • Cure for Eric — Rum, Virgin Islands Rum, Ginger liqueur, Bitters, Water, Pineapple juice, Orange juice, Butter, Lemon juice, Honey, Grade B maple syrup, Lemon zest, Vanilla extract, Nutmeg, Cinnamon, Cayenne pepper, Cinnamon stick, Cloves
  • Mistaken Ray — Light rum, Gin, Jamaican rum, Bitters, Falernum, Crushed ice, Soda water, Lime juice, Honey syrup, Passion fruit syrup, Pineapple juice
  • Tropicale Nuvole — Light rum, Rum Cream, Coconut Water, Orgeat, Lime juice
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Arena y Sangre

1 1⁄2 oz Mezcal, Del Maguey Chichicapa
1 oz Orange juice
3⁄4 oz Visciolo
1⁄2 oz Cherry Liqueur, Cherry Heering
1⁄4 oz Lemon juice
2 ds Orange bitters
1 twst Orange peel (flamed, as garnish)
Instructions

Shake, double strain, up, garnish.

Notes

Visciolo is a sour cherry dessert wine.

YieldsDrink
Authenticity
Authentic recipe
Creator
Ryan Fitzgerald, Beretta, San Francisco, CA.
Source reference

http://mixology.eu/drinks-en/the-blood-and-sand-cocktail/?lang=en

Curator rating
Not yet rated
Average rating
Not yet rated
From other users
  • Visciolo is an Italian sour cherry dessert wine
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