Ancient Spirit Amaro Ready for Hamptons Close-up

By Joe Mollica

4 minute 07/07/2023

Bar Monte, a mobile bar cart Amaro Montenegro.

Move over tequila. Amaro is the newest ancient spirit in town.

Before it became a kind of miracle tonic in the 19th century, this aromatic spirit was renowned by insatiable Roman nobles for its restorative properties after a night of merriment. It was, in essence, a hangover cure for partied-out elites in togas.

Today, while it’s still widely consumed in Europe as an after-dinner sipping drink, or digestif, amaro has lately been discovered by ambitious mixologists seeking to leverage its unique bittersweet flavor profile to create new wrinkles in the cocktail-industrial complex.

An herbal liqueur that merges contrasting flavors, amaro is literally Italian for “bitter.” Unlike non-potable bitters, like the popular Angostura, amaro can be sipped neat or even on the rocks. It’s typically made from a curated blend of botanical ingredients that includes spices, flowers and herbs, as well as exotic barks and roots like cinchona, gentian root and wormwood.

Amaro tastes differ depending on the region in which it’s produced; some can be spice- and mint-heavy, while others are airier and more citrus-forward. The ingredients that can be used in the process of making amaro are endless (and often kept quiet), but often include potent flavors like licorice, star anise, artichoke and rhubarb. Many recipes for amaro have roots in ancient Italian monasteries, while others are closely-guarded family secrets.

But the real fun, at least in the Hamptons, is in using this versatile spirit as a foundation, or complement, for deliciously dangerous cocktails. Amaro is definitely gaining traction among enthusiasts who want to spice up their libations, or who just might be suffering from the onset of tequila-fatigue.

The amaro cocktail trend hasn’t exactly hit the ground running in the Hamptons, where cocktail menus are seemingly dominated by Jalisco-made spirits and their celebrated benefactors, but that’s not stopping Amaro Montenegro from making the rounds out east.

This weekend they’re introducing Bar Monte, a cute, retro-looking mobile bar cart that’s popping up at Montauk hotspots Bounce Beach and Roberta’s. Surprisingly, Amaro Montenegro pairs well with tequila and mezcal, so as the old adage goes, if you can’t beat ’em, join ’em.

Bar Monte will be doing just that, serving up original offerings like the M&M (equal parts Montenegro and mezcal) and the Monterita, a refreshing take on a classic margarita.

In case you’re wondering, here’s the laundry list of ingredients Amaro Montenegro uses in their distillation process: nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon, sweet and bitter oranges, petite dried oranges, coriander, marjoram, oregano and Artemesia.