Santa Maria Al Monte Amaro
Origin: Italy / 40% / Price: 19-25€
Currently my favorite amaro ever and that's saying something ...
Consisting of 36 herbs, spices, flowers, roots and plants from 4 continents, with which alcoholic infusions, extracts and decoctions are made and then mixed (as so often with amaro) according to a secret recipe. The ingredients include aloe, myrrh, rhubarb, saffron, absinthe, cardamom and kola nuts, and the base is wine spirit. The recipe has reportedly not been changed since 1858 and has been passed down (allegedly...) for five generations by the patrons of the Sanctuary of the Madonna del Monte in Genoa. Production outside the monastery, curated by liqueurist Nicola Vignale, began in the late 19th century and is apparently currently at Distilleria Fratelli Caffo (who also make, for example, Vecchio Amaro del Capo, which you see in many supermarkets here in Germany.
Nose:
Dark and ethereal, saffron and the great concise aroma of myrrh, incense, as if you’re standing in a field of herbs near a volcano, licorice, some eucalyptus, old leather and associations of sea salt and black pepper, some allspice and bitter orange.
Taste:
At the onset nice spiciness, notes of pepper, myrrh, allspice, leather, behind that black walnut, eucalyptus and some juniper berries and bay leaves, cardamom and some cola nut.
Finish:
Slightly peppery, licorice, anise, clove and juniper, myrrh, long.
