Averna 1.0L

Averna is a Sicilian Amaro: dark, bittersweet, and full-bodied. This herbal liqueur is one of Italy's best-known Amari and has been produced according to Sicilian liqueur tradition since 1868; the manufacturer today is Illva Saronno. The 1.0-liter bottle is enough for many evenings, at the table as well as at the home bar.

The base consists of herbs, roots, and citrus fruits. In the glass, orange peel is at the forefront, with licorice, Mediterranean herbs, and fine spices underneath. The texture is full and soft, the bitterness remains restrained and fades into a sweet-tart finish, in which licorice and citrus peel linger for a while.

Recommendation: neat at room temperature or on plenty of ice with an orange zest, classically as a digestif after a meal. In a cocktail, Averna adds depth and herbal spice, for example in an Averna Sour or as an Averna Tonic with ice and a slice of orange. A splash over vanilla ice cream also goes well with the licorice note.