Amaro is the category of Italian herbal liqueurs. The word means "bitter" in Italian. They are indeed bitter, most of them, though the range runs from the gentle alpine sweetness of Aperol (don't come at me about Aperol, it's in the family, I'll allow it) to the full-throttle medicinal assault of Fernet-Branca.
They are essential. Not one of them — several of them. A bar without amaro is a bar that doesn't take after-dinner seriously, and I have opinions about that.
The Essential Three
Campari: The gateway. Bitter, citrus-forward, cherry-like, bright red. Not technically an amaro in the strictest classification sense, but it belongs in this conversation. You know it from the Negroni and the Aperol Spritz's more serious older sibling, the Campari Spritz.
Cynar: Artichoke-based. Sounds strange. Tastes like a more complex, earthier Campari with less sweetness. Exceptional in a Paper Plane variation or simply on ice.
Averna: Sicilian. Sweeter, more approachable. Cola-ish notes, some herbal complexity. The entry point for people who found Fernet-Branca "a lot," which it is, and that's the point.
The Advanced Tier
Fernet-Branca: Drink it cold, in a small glass, at the end of something. It will either destroy you or become one of your most reliable relationships. There is no in-between.
Braulio: Alpine. Herbaceous, mentholated, complex. Exceptional with a single large ice cube and nothing else to distract you from thinking about it.
Start with three. Work your way through the shelf. Report back.
Written By
Alfred C. O'Holic
Self-described authority on civilized drinking. Forty-three coupe glasses. Opinions on ice. Available for consultation, rarely.