Italian Herbal Liqueurs

Amaro is a potent digestif with a silky, sometimes even syrupy structure that originated in the 1800s. It is traditionally produced by macerating several herbs, flowers, aromatic bark, citrus peels, and spices in alcohol, either spirits o... READ MORE

This aniseed-flavored liqueur is made with a clear spirit and usually a secret combination of herbs and spices that further elevate its flavor. Luigi Manzi was the first to commercially produce sambuca in Civitavecchia, in the mid-1800s. ... READ MORE

Though most brands keep their recipe secret, this Italian-style liqueur is typically made with a blend of various spices and herbs such as saffron, juniper, rhubarb, aloe, chamomile, and mint. Because of the extensive list of ingredients, Fern... READ MORE

Strega is a vibrant yellow liqueur created with a distillation of 70 different spices, botanicals, and herbs that include Ceylon cinnamon, Florentine iris, cloves, mint, juniper, and saffron. The well-balanced blend is then aged in ash ba... READ MORE

Anisette, anisetta, or simply anis is a term that encompasses various anise-based liqueurs. These types of liqueurs don’t have a single origin, but they are mostly associated with Mediterranean countries, such as I... READ MORE

Alchermes is an ancient Italian liqueur based on a combination of rosewater and orange blossom water, sugar, herbs, and spices, while the typical red hue was traditionally imparted with the addition of crushed cochineal insects. It is bel... READ MORE

This Italian amaro was first produced in 1815, and it is still made according to the original secret recipe that employs 33 different herbs and roots. The recipe was developed by Ausano Ramazzotti, who offered the drink at his café, located... READ MORE

Averna is a popular Italian bitter digestif that was named after its inventor Salvatore Averna who created it in 1868. Some sources state that the recipe was handed to the Avernas by a monk of the local San Spirito monastery. The exact in... READ MORE

Lucano is an Italian amaro that is flavored with more than 30 botanicals. Some of them are familiar such as wormwood, sage, gentiana, angelica, bitter orange, and ruta, but the exact composition and the recipe remain secret. The resulting... READ MORE

Bràulio is an Italian amaro that was created in 1875 by Francesco Peloni, a chemist from Bormio who was an expert in medicinal herbs from the alpine Valtellina region. Although the recipe and the exact ingredients are kept secret, ... READ MORE

Brancamenta is a minty version of Fernet Branca—the richly flavored amaro from Milan. This liqueur is also based on more than thirty botanicals, but it also includes essential peppermint oil from Piedmont. The resulting drink is dar... READ MORE

Galliano is a sweet herbal liqueur created in 1896 by Italian distiller and brandy producer Arturo Vaccari of Livorno, Tuscany. The star element in Galliano is vanilla, which differentiates it from other anise-flavored liqueurs such as Sa... READ MORE

Amaro Nonino is a type of amaro made with aged grappa and a macerate that includes various botanicals. The combination is aged for a minimum of five years in Nevers, Limousin, and ex-sherry oak. The resulting drink has a warm amber color.... READ MORE

Sassolino di Modena is an anise-flavored liqueur that first appeared in the 19th century. The original version of the liqueur was thick and syrup-like and was often dubbed as a women’s drink because of its low alcohol content. The d... READ MORE

Laurel liqueur is a traditional specialty usually associated with Apulia, though similar varieties can be found in other Italian regions. This vibrant green liqueur is produced by macerating fresh laurel leaves (bay leaves) in alcohol. The only ot... READ MORE

Montenegro is a popular Italian liqueur and a type of amaro that has been produced in Bologna since 1885. It is made with 40 botanicals sourced from four continents, and it remains one of the most popular and best-selling amari in Italy. ... READ MORE

This licorice liqueur is traditionally associated with Calabria, which is well known for its licorice root. The liqueur is made with pure licorice and neutral alcohol. The combination is sweetened and filtered, and the result is a dark-colored liq... READ MORE

Centerba is distilled from various plants indigenous to the alpine regions of Abruzzi. The name suggests that a hundred herbs are required to produce this greenish conconction, but the manufacturers keep the ingredients a closely guarded secret. T... READ MORE

Elisir d'erbe Barathier is an ancient herbal liqueur that hails from Pomaretto in Turin, Piedmont. The liqueur is made by steeping dried flowers and herbs in alcohol, and the macerate is then sweetened and mixed with spring water. The res... READ MORE

Rabarbaro Zucca is an Italian amaro that hails from Milan. As evident from its name—rabarbaro stands for rhubarb—the main flavoring is a rhubarb macerate, while other ingredients include a secret blend of herbs, fruit, and spi... READ MORE

San Simone is a bittersweet Italian amaro hailing from Turin. Although the recipe is a closely guarded secret, it is known that some of the botanicals used for flavoring include gentian, rhubarb, and wormwood. Amaro San Simone was introdu... READ MORE

Biancosarti is an Italian aperitif made from various botanicals, including herbs, spices, flowers, bark, and roots. It is a golden-colored liqueur with a pleasant, sweet flavor and a spicy and herbal character. The liqueur is bottled at 2... READ MORE

Mistrà is the name given to anise liquors that are produced in Lazio and Marche. It is distilled from anise-flavored base to create a clear and intense drink that has typical herbaceous aromas of anise and licorice with subtle spic... READ MORE

Biadina is an Italian amaro variety that originated and is still mainly consumed in Lucca. It is a bitter, amber-colored liqueur that is made with long maceration of various botanicals such as chicona. The legend of its origin says that t... READ MORE

Mezzoemezzo is an Italian liqueur that was based on the cocktail Mezzo e Mezzo. The cocktail was invented in 1970, and as it became increasingly popular, the company decided to bottle a premixed blend of Nardini Rosso and Nardini Rabarbar... READ MORE

Nardini is an Italian amaro made with grappa and a macerate of several botanicals. Although the recipe is a closely guarded family secret, some ingredients include peppermint, bitter oranges, licorice, cloves, and gentian. This is a clear... READ MORE

Amaro Sibilla is a herbal liqueur flavored with various botanicals. The recipe is a closely guarded secret that includes herbs and roots collected at Sibillini Mountains and honey. The resulting amaro is dark, aromatic, and subtly bitter.... READ MORE

Elisir San Marzano is an Italian liqueur and a type of Amaro that hails from Puglia (province of Taranto). The liqueur is rum-based and flavored with a secret blend of botanicals, including spices, herbs, and roots such as wormwood, cinna... READ MORE

Taneda is a herbal liqueur and a type of amaro that hails from Valtellina. It is made with a macerate of Achillea Moschata—an alpine flowering plant that belongs to the sunflower family and is usually found at high altitudes. The pl... READ MORE

Nerone is a type of amaro that is associated with Rome and is often called l’amaro di Roma. It is a rich herbal liqueur flavored with various botanicals - herbs, roots, and fruits. The resulting drink is dark and syrupy. It... READ MORE

Amaro della Contea di Bormio is a herbal Italian liqueur made with alpine herbs in Valtellina (Bormio). This bittersweet amaro is infused with a secret combination of thirty-six locally-sourced alpine botanicals that are collected in Ste... READ MORE

Sfumato Rabarbaro is a type of amaro that hails from Trentino. It is made with various botanicals macerated in a neutral spirit, but the main flavoring comes from Chinese rhubarb—hence the name. This amaro is richly flavored and com... READ MORE

Amaro Meletti is a herbal liqueur and a type of Italian amaro produced in Marche. It is flavored with various fruits and botanicals, local and international, and though the exact ingredients are not known, some of them include orange peel... READ MORE

Amaro Dell’Erborista is a fragrant amaro made with a blend of botanicals and sweetened with honey. It is a relatively novel amaro that hails from Marche. The resulting drink is dense and brown, with an aroma reminiscent of stewed an... READ MORE

Punch Abruzzo is an Italian liqueur hailing from Borello, Italy. The recipe is a closely guarded family secret, but it is known that the drink is infused with coffee, citruses, and various spices. It is a strong and richly-flavored liqueu... READ MORE

Pasubio is an alpine-style liqueur from Alto Adige. It is made with a wine base enriched with Pinus mugo pine, herbs, and wild blueberries. This amaro is rich, smooth, and pleasantly bitter. The aroma is herbal, reminiscent of pine and Al... READ MORE

Nespolino is an Italian liqueur made with dry loquat seeds. The seeds are steeped in alcohol for several weeks, and the macerate is then adjusted with sugar and water. Sometimes, cinnamon and vanilla are added, and the result is an aromat... READ MORE

Corfinio is a herbal liqueur created in 1858 by Giulio Barattucci. The liqueur is produced in Chieti, and it is made with a secret recipe that combines 42 different herbs, roots, and seeds. It is flavored and colored with saffron harveste... READ MORE

Vespetrò is a herbal liqueur traditionally associated with Lombardy, specifically the Canzo commune. The liqueur is produced commercially, but it is also commonly prepared as a homemade version with traditional recipes that are pas... READ MORE

Lemon verbena liqueur is an intensely aromatic Italian liqueur prepared with the leaves of lemon verbena (Aloysia citrodora). The leaves are macerated in neutral alcohol, sometimes with the addition of lemon zest, and the macerate is usua... READ MORE