Bitters

Italy can be considered the country with the largest number of amari, with virtually every region producing at least one. This diversity is due to climatic and morphological factors that have allowed the development of a very varied flora in a restricted territory.

The plants used in the production of amari are numerous and varied, and include:

Bitter plants: centaury, aloe, cinchona, rhubarb.
Aromatic plants: thyme, rosemary, marjoram, star anise, cloves, cardamom, tonka bean, nutmeg, etc.
Other plants: yarrow, orange (bitter and sweet), juniper, elderflowers, artichoke, gentian, saffron, sage, etc.
The production methods are equally varied and include distillation, infusion, decoction, percolation, digestion, and maceration, with the latter being the most common method. Maceration takes place cold (maximum 35 °C).

Due to the seasonality of plants, substitution tinctures are often used to ensure consistent production.

Paolo Monelli defines amaro as a "vermouth without wine," emphasizing that, while vermouth is an aromatized wine, amaro is an aromatized spirit with herbs and roots. The fundamental steps for preparing amaro include infusion and distillation. The infused herbs are measured, mixed, ground, steeped in a hydroalcoholic solution, and left to macerate for months. The preparation is then decanted to achieve clarity and combined with the liquid from distillation.

Some well-known Italian amari include Fernet Branca, Ferro-china, Ramazzotti, Averna, Montenegro, Amaro San Simone, Amaro Braulio, Amaro Lucano, and Vecchio Amaro del Capo. It should be noted that amaro legally differs from other aperitifs or digestives only if the specific alcoholic beverage falls into the legal category of amaro.