Name: Vecchio Amaro Del Capo
Producer: Distilleria Caffo
Region/Country: Calabria, Italy
Importer: Skurnik
Price: $20
Amaro (Italian for bitter) and Vermouth are similar but not quite the same. Both beverages are flavored with herbs, flowers and other botanicals, but 
Vermouths are wine-based, whereas Amari (the plural form of the word) may be made from grain-based alcohol or fruit-based brandy.
Most Vermouths and Amari are distinguished by a bitter edge, which can be either very pronounced or more subtle, depending on the specific botanicals used. That bitter component is balanced by varying degrees of sweetness, usually obtained by the addition of a sugar-based syrup.
One of the world’s most popular Amari is Vecchio Amaro Del Capo, a 
stellar product from Italy’s Calabria region that has been produced by the Caffo family since 1915. Distilled from sugar beets, it is macerated for several days with 29 herbs, spices, roots, fruits and flowers.
The resulting elixir feels broad and glossy on the palate, with an intense and complex panoply of flavors including anise, coriander, citrus, bay leaf, and floral elements, plus a wisp of mint on the finish. This amaro’s bitterness is perfectly balanced by medium-sweetness.
Serve Vecchio Amaro Del Capo iced as an aperitivo, or as a digestif. It is an excellent base for cocktails. The producer recommends always serving it thoroughly chilled, but I sometimes like it at room temperature, when it seems to mellow and shift more towards opulence and dried fruit flavors balanced by good acidity. Regarding the cocktail option, here’s a recipe to try:
Catcher in the Rye:
1 ounce Vecchio Amaro Del Capo
2 ounces rye whiskey
2 ounces ginger beer
3 splashed Angostura Bitters
1 ounce fresh lemon juice
Garnish: lemon twist
Stir all ingredients in a tumbler. Add ice and lemon twist…and enjoy!
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