Six Amarettos You Need to Try (And How To Make Your Own…)

Amaretto is one of the most popular liqueurs on the planet and easily one of Italy’s biggest exports. Recipes date back nearly 500 years, and it’s easy to see why the bittersweet, almond-forward liqueur has stood the test of time. Did you know, despite the flavour profile of amaretto being dominated by almonds, very often there are no almonds present? Instead, the liqueur is infused with apricot kernels and peaches to give it its distinctive flavour.

There’s a surprisingly thin layer of quality Amaretto on the market (in the U.K at least) - the very finest Amarettos balance sweetness with bitter almond to make them the perfect ingredient for the classic Amaretto Sour or Godfather, or even just to sip with coke. Here are six Amarettos you need that would make an Italian blush: 

Adriatico 

The first thing you’ll notice when you try Adriatico is the mouthfeel - less syrupy but just as mouth-fulfilling as any high quality amaretto out there. A higher ABV is the culprit, along with an organic approach to crafting a high end liqueur that includes macerating hand-picked, roasted almonds and adding cinnamon, cocoa and vanilla to create a balanced, well rounded amaretto. This could easily be the missing ingredient in any high end cocktail that needs something special to sweeten the deal.

Size: 700ml
ABV: 28%
Find here: £32.20

Joseph Cartron Amaretto

Family owned, French purveyors of fantastic wines and liqueurs, Joseph Cartron offer this excellent amaretto bursting with the rich flavour of green almonds. Great as a digestif or cocktail ingredient with fresh, floral aromas and heavy bitter almond on the palate. Joseph Cartrons production processes are highly protected secrets, but it’s no secret that they make excellent quality liqueurs. Try this in their recommended “hot punch”, with Martinique Rhum, fresh pineapple chunks, Joseph Cartron Amaretto, Fino Sherry and Orange peel - served hot! A must-try.

Size: 500ml
ABV: 25%
Find here: £18.23

Quaglia

If you’ve read this far you’ve likely noticed a pattern, that many Amarettos are products of rich family history, and Quaglia is no exception with their late 1800s recipe. The Antica distillery - who make this fine product - are known for their impeccable attention to detail, high quality products and recipes passed down through generations. This may feel like an Amaretto for grown ups, but still balances perfectly into a fun, classic Amaretto sour! Quaglia Amaretto is bursting with almonds, fruits and floral notes that delight the palate and are enjoyed neat just as well as in a cocktail.

Size: 700ml
ABV: 25%
Find here: £21.48

Lazzaroni Amaretto 

Some say the Lazzaroni family were the very first to create the liqueur we know today as Amaretto. The recipe in the bottle is the same as the one they used as far back as 1851 which includes baking their own Amaretti Chiostro di Saronno biscuits and infusing them into the liqueur alongside apricot kernels and distilled cocoa. The result is a delightfully aromatic Amaretto with notes of milk chocolate, marzipan and tropical fruits.

Size: 700ml
ABV: 24%
Find here: £21.74

Luxardo Amaretto Di Saschira

Italian master liqueur creators, Luxardo continue to prove why they’re on top of the liqueur world with their Amaretto, which gets its distinctive almond flavour from the essential oils contained in the pits of cherries, peaches and apricots. This award winning, vegan and GMO free liqueur boasts notes of black tea tannins, bitter almond and battenberg. Enjoy over ice or in any classic Amaretto cocktail…

Size: 700ml
ABV: 24%
Find here: £19.50

How to make your own amaretto liqueur 

Is it cheating to count your very own Amaretto as the sixth bottle we’re featuring today? Maybe, but we all love a good hack, and while you may not possess generations of family recipes, creating something akin to a classic Amaretto is easier than you might think, and comes with all the added benefits of customization. Below, you’ll find a baseline recipe, but you can mix things up by: 

• Changing the base spirit. 

• Adding spices. Try cinnamon, clove, star anise or even cardamom. 

• Adding lemon, lime or orange zest. 

• Increasing or decreasing the sugar content. 

Homemade Amaretto Liqueur: 

For simplicity, add all ingredients to a large container and leave to infuse in a room temperature location, away from light for 2-3 days or until all sugar has dissolved. Shake once a day to incorporate and taste regularly. Strain out any solids and pour into a bottle. This should keep for at least a few months, if not indefinitely. Congrats! You’ve made a delicious homemade Amaretto! What can’t you do?

700ml Rum (any rum will do, but avoid spiced rum, as this is already sweetened and spiced and will overwhelm the almond) 
300g Brown Sugar
50ml Almond extract 
25ml vanilla extract 
50g Toasted almonds (simply pop them under the grill until browned and fragrant

Looking to expand your liqueur collection further? Check out these Eight Irresistable Coffee Liqueurs

By Miley Kendrick

What is Amaretto and How Do You Drink It?

What is Amaretto?

Amaretto is a sweet almond-flavoured Italian liqueur… though it doesn’t always contain almonds. Let us explain…

The history of Amaretto

Amaretto comes from the word, ‘amaro’ which means bitter, and adding ‘etto’ makes it little, so amaretto is ‘little bitter’… but that doesn’t represent the flavour at all (confusing, we know.) Almonds can be sweet or bitter in Italy, so in all likelihood, the drink wasn’t as sweet then as it is today.

The history is unknown and entangled in mythology, romance and two disagreeing families so strap in. From the 1500s onwards, Italians distilling their own drinks was not uncommon. However, Disaronno’s story goes like this. In 1525, a church in Saronno (the home of the liqueur) commissioned a student of Leonardo da Vinci to paint for them. The woman he used as a model was a widowed innkeeper and as a gift of gratitude, she steeped apricot kernels with brandy and presented them to artist Bernardino Luini…thus, amaretto was born.

Perhaps related to the artist or to the innkeeper, years later Giovanni Reina took on the recipe and the liqueur became entrenched into Italian culture. By the 20th century, the Reina’s were selling their ‘secret’ recipe in the Saronno market as ‘Amaretto di Saronno Originale’, a creation we will revisit later on.

For the purpose of balance, the makers of Amaretti di Saronno cookies claim that their family (the Lazzaroni’s) invented the liqueur in 1851, so we don’t know who to believe!

What is Amaretto made from?

Oddly, though very tightly associated with the liqueur because of the flavour, almonds are sometimes not used at all in Amaretto production. The specific inclusions in each amaretto differ, but generally, you will find apricot pits used and other botanicals like vanilla and dark sugar. Disaronno, for example, uses the essence of 17 herbs and fruits!  

What does Amaretto taste like?

Amaretto is a deliciously sweet liqueur, with a subtle nutty flavour, usually almond-like, at the fore. Lower quality amaretto will often be lower in alcohol and sweeter, sometimes in a cloying way. Premium blends on the other hand will be less sugary and you should be able to detect some herbs and spices, slight bitterness, vanilla and cherry. A lot of people even find it reminds them of marzipan and Battenberg cake!

How do you drink Amaretto?

Amaretto over ice is gorgeous if you’ve got a sweet tooth, as it goes down smoothly as a dessert drink. It is also common to drink it with the usual mixers that spirits are paired with, like cola. It’s very versatile and goes with almost anything.

Amaretto is easy to drink because it matches most things pretty well, from fruits to coffee to cinnamon to ginger. This, along with the sophisticated sweetness is why any bar will have a bottle, and why mixologists love it. It packs a flavoursome punch, even when very little is used, so it’s included in many cocktails.

So, if you think it sounds a little too sweet on its own, then try it as one of these delicious cocktails.

Which cocktails can you make with Amaretto?

Amaretto Sour

A classic sweet ‘n’ sour combo wrapped up in a gorgeous frothy texture, the Amaretto Sour is a fantastic place to start with the liqueur. Almond nuttiness and bright citrus combine in this succulent concoction.

Ingredients

60ml amaretto
30ml fresh lemon juice
1 dash aromatic bitters (Angostura)
15ml egg white
Optional garnish: Maraschino cherry

Method
Shake everything without ice to break down the egg white, then repeat with ice and fine strain over ice! You can add more bitters at the end if you prefer that too! Make it how you like!

Amaretto Sidecar

Classically, cognac would be used in the sidecar, but amaretto takes its place here for a sweeter and nuttier twist. It’s also slightly less strong!

Ingredients
60ml amaretto
20ml orange liqueur (Triple Sec)
20ml fresh lemon juice
Optional garnish: orange slice

Method
Super simple. Shake with ice and strain! Voila!

Amaretto Coffee

Because of the dessert-style nuttiness, amaretto also goes really well with coffee. Essentially, this is an Irish Coffee with amaretto instead and we love it.

Ingredients
Nearly a cup of freshly brewed coffee
30ml amaretto
Optional: Whipped cream and cinnamon dusting

Method
Stir amaretto into your coffee – that’s it. You can end it there, or add cream and cinnamon dusting on top to turn it into an even bigger treat.  

Which Amaretto should I try?

Disaronno

If you’re going to try Amaretto, then why not go with arguably the world’s most popular brand? The marzipan reference is strong with this one, despite it not containing any almonds whatsoever. Still produced in Saronno, it’s super smooth with notes of vanilla and cherry and overall, it really is the benchmark.

Size: UK 700ml // US 750ml
ABV: 28%
Find here: UK £20.94 // US $29.99

Gozio

Gozio is one of the few amaretto bottles to include real almonds, and specifically high-quality bitter ones to bring a sophisticated toasted nuttiness to the blend that also includes peach and apricot fruit essences.

Size: UK 700ml // US 750ml
ABV: 24%
Find here: UK £22.94 // US $29.99

Adriatico Amaretto

A newer generation amaretto, Adriatico is giving the heritage brands a run for their money. The award-winning bottle uses 100% natural roasted almonds infused with distinct Adriatic sea salt, cocoa, cinnamon and coffee. The finished product isn’t sickly sweet like some and has a morish quality that’s to die for.

Size: 700ml
ABV: 28%
Find here: £31.24

That’s everything you need to get started with the delicious liqueur that is amaretto, but we’ve got guides on other drinks for when you’re finished too! Check out the fascinating drinks of Pisco, Vermouth and Absinthe.

TalkTV: Retro Liqueurs

It’s official. Liqueurs are back with a bang! Rediscovered through our post lockdown obsession with mixology and ingredients, drinkies from years ago are back and we are also welcoming some new brands taking a modern take on retro styles of liqueurs. Here are some delicious, old fashioned drinks to seek out, including the Queens favourite tipple!

Amaretto Adriatico (28% abv)

As Seen on TalkTV

A new generation of amaretto liqueur, made with 100% natural, roasted almonds from Puglia distilled and infused with coffee, cocoa, cinnamon and a pinch of Adriatic sea salt.  It’s morish, sweet and delicious but not sickly.

Serve: Simply over ice or in many cocktails, such as an almond margarita.

Find it for £28.74 from Master of Malt or Amazon

Grand Marnier Cordon Rouge (40% abv)

As Seen on TalkTV

This premium, iconic orange liqueur is one of a kind. First created in 1880 by Alexandre Marnier-Lapostolle, it’s a Cognac based liqueur made with the distilled essence of Caribbean oranges and sugar. Weighing in it at 40% abv, it’s punchy and full, but fine, fresh and complex with notes of vanilla, baking spice and marmalade. 

Serve: Chilled over ice or try it in a Sidecar cocktail. 

Find it for £17 from Ocado (50cl) or £19 from Sainsbury’s 

Créme de Cassis Liqueur ‘Cocktail Collection’ (15% abv)

As Seen on TalkTV

Crème de Cassis is a traditional blackcurrant liqueur that famously comes from Dijon in France. This version was created for Sainsbury's by a multi-award-winning producer using a recipe based on whole blackcurrants, blackcurrant buds and raspberry. The nose is literally jam-packed with fresh, ripe blackcurrant. Try their other flavours too, especially the peach for your bellinis!

Serve: Splash a small amount into a wine glass then top up with white for a kir or Champagne for a Kir Royale.

Find it for £8 from Sainsbury’s (35cl)

Dubonnet (14.8%)

As Seen on TalkTV

The Queen’s favourite tipple is not technically a liqueur, it’s more like a vermouth but it certainly is retro. She loved it so much, she even gave it a royal warrant! Originally  created in 1846 by French chemist Joseph Dubonnet, to help combat malaria among the French Legionnaires, it’s a French, fortified wine, naturally flavoured by herbs, quinine and spices then aged in oak barrels. 

The Queen’s serve: Take two parts Dubonnet to one part gin, stir with icem then strain into a wine glass and serve with a lemon wheel. 

Find it for £10 from Waitrose, Ocado & Amazon

Hamish’s ‘famous’ Amaretto Crumble

Who’s Hamish? He’s Helena’s husband who has been the perfect ‘housewife’ during lockdown and nailed the art of one particular pud: the Amaretto crumble! Why is this relevant? Well, one little Three Drinkers Instagram live where it was mentioned and demand for the recipe has been off the charts, so here it is! Have a go, have a taste and please tag us in your photos on Instagram. (@thethreedrinkers @wine.husband)

Ingredients

1 x Punnet of strawberries, chopped to 2cm squared.

1 x Medium cooking apple, peeled and diced as above.

3 x Medium sized, very ripe bananas. Mashed.

30ml Amaretto

1 x pinch of salt

1 x pinch of cinnamon (optional)

For the crumble

50g Ground almonds

100g Plain flour

85g Salted butter

50g Demerara sugar

Handful of porridge oats

1 x pinch of salt 

1 tbsp brown sugar

6 x chunks of butter approx 1 cm cubed.

1 x tbsp Mascarpone or vanilla ice cream to serve.

Hamish Nicklin and his amazing Amaretto crumble

Method

Turn on the oven to 200 degrees (fan). Mix all the fruit with a pinch of salt (and cinnamon if using) in an ovenproof dish and pour over the Amaretto. Set aside. In a bowl, add the almonds, flour, sugar, pinch of salt and butter together and rub the mixture in between your fingers until it’s all combined and is the size of large breadcrumbs. Alternatively, you can chuck the flour, butter and almonds into a blender and pulse it until it’s combined, then remove and rub in the sugar until you get to the large, sticky breadcrumb stage. 

Spread the crumble mixture evenly on top of the fruit in the dish. Sprinkle over your handful of oats so they coat the crumble mixture. Sprinkle your tablespoon of brown sugar evenly over that. Space the cubes of butter around the top. 

Bake for 30 - 40 minutes until the top is golden brown and the fruit starts bubbling at the side. Serve with a blob of Mascarpone or ice cream. Naughty, but sooo nice.

Serve with Tokaji sweet wine if you can get it! With its marmalade sweetness, honey richness and tart acidity, it’s the perfect match.

TRY: Tokaji from The Royal Tokaji company. Buy it here.

TRY: Amaretto from Disaronno. Buy it here

Good luck!

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