MAROLO ULRICH Amaro

(Italy) $40

I absolutely love amaros and will happily end any restaurant meal doing a tasting of every amaro the restaurant has on its list. And so I found myself recently in New York at Eataly, with a line-up of fantastic amaros in front of me. The one pictured in the old-fashioned squat bottle, Marolo Ulrich, was sensational—a tidal wave of anise, floral, and botanical flavors with amaro’s classic “noble bitter” finish. Amaros (or more properly amari, the Italian plural) are Italian-made liqueurs that are aromatic, bittersweet, and herbal. They are traditionally drunk at the end of the meal as a digestif (usually a 2-ounce pour). Most amari are made from lightly fortified wine that’s been infused with a secret recipe of botanicals like quinine bark, wormwood, rhubarb, ginger root, cardamom, gentian, and all manner of spices. They are not as sweet as dessert wines, and for me, they’re a more dramatic, invigorating, and delicious way to end a meal. A bottle of amaro will last for many months. The Marolo Ulrich Amaro was first made in 1854 by an Italian doctor named Domenico Ulrich. It contains 19 different herbs, flowers, fruits and roots, and has a lively sophisticated flavor.

Available at Gary's Wine & Marketplace