Cocktails with Averna
Averna is a rich, dark Sicilian amaro with cola, bitter orange and liquorice notes, and one of Italy's best-selling amari. It is rounder and sweeter than most, which makes it an easy amaro to start with and the original choice in the Black Manhattan.
No Averna? What to use instead
- Type
- Liqueur
- Strength
- 29% ABV
- Aroma
- Cola, Bitter orange, Herbs, Liquorice
- Taste
- Bittersweet, Orange peel, Mocha, Liquorice, Gentian
- Finish
- Medium, Gentle bitterness, Orange zest, Cola
2 drinks with Averna
History
The recipe traces back to the Benedictine monks of the Abbey of Santo Spirito near Caltanissetta, Sicily, who gave it to the textile merchant Salvatore Averna in 1859. His family began producing it commercially in 1868, and it is still made in Caltanissetta.
How it’s made
Herbs, roots, spices and citrus rinds are macerated in a neutral spirit, with essential oils of bitter orange and lemon adding the citrus lift. After maceration the infusion is sweetened and coloured with caramel, which gives Averna its dark colour and soft, syrupy body. The exact recipe is secret.
Bottles to try
Averna Amaro SicilianoMid-range
The classic bottling: dark, round and bittersweet with orange and liquorice.
Averna Riserva Don SalvatorePremium
An older-style reserve at higher strength, aged in barrels for a drier, spicier profile.
Averna Amaro SicilianoMid-range
Widely available in the US and the amaro most bartenders reach for in a Black Manhattan.
Got Averna at home?
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