This easy to make amaro Averna cocktail combines the enticing flavours of Sicilian Averna liqueur with bourbon and subtle nuances of chocolate, cherries and orange. It’s an Averna drink well worth lingering over.
If you enjoy Italian bitters take a look at my Aperol Negroni or my Campari, Amaro Montenegro and Bourbon cocktail too. I think you’ll enjoy them.
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If you are looking for an easy amaro Averna cocktail to make, let this be the one. It’s quick to make and offers a complex blend of well-balanced flavours and aromas.
Expect enticing herbal and citrus notes from the Averna liqueur to play along superbly with the well-rounded mellowness of bourbon. Subtle hints of chocolate and cherries complete the package.
This Averna cocktail is particularly enjoyable to linger over as the nights draw in and temperatures plummet. It’s bitter-sweet yet mellow and ultra comforting.
Why this cocktail works
- It’s quick and easy to make
- And it can be made in advance or even aged in a bottle
- Flavourwise, it’s a delicious blend of mellowness offset with an ideal balance of sweetness and bitterness (there’s a gentle touch of both)
- Bourbon provides a solid base on which the flavour profile has been built
- And a mixture of fruity citrus and cherry flavours & aromas pair well with undertones of chocolate and caramel
- It’s a libation for grown-up palates
What is Averna Amaro Siciliano?
Averna amaro Siciliano is an Italian liqueur made in Sicily. Contrary to popular belief, Averna is not a vermouth. Averna is a type of Italian bitter collectively known as amari. There are quite a few of them. These bitters are made by infusing alcohol with herbs, spices, citrus, aromatic roots, barks and flowers before sweetening and aging them.
In the case of Averna liqueur, a particularly lengthy infusion of herbs, roots and citrus rinds takes place. The recipe has been unchanged since 1868.
So what does Averna taste like? Discerning tastebuds may pick up hints of the following flavours in each sip:
- orange
- caramel
- liquorice
- myrtle
- rosemary
- juniper berries
- sage
Averna liqueur is a sticky drink with a gentle herbal bitterness about it. But that bitterness is perfectly in tune with the sweetness also present in the blend.
When and how to drink Averna
Averna liqueur is an amaro that is typically served in Italy at the end of a meal as a digestivo (digestif). Italians serve amari after dining in the hope that the sweet yet bitter taste will stimulate the body to accelerate digestion (hence digestivo).
You can drink Averna straight (neat) or on the rocks (over ice). I enjoy filling a glass with ice and then pouring the viscous, sweet liquid slowly over the top. This Italian liqueur is best served in softly curved glasses to allow the intoxicating aromas and perfumes to linger. A twist of orange peel is the only garnish needed.
Try serving it this way at the end of a meal, perhaps with a few sweet nibbles such as spiced nuts, chocolate truffles or marzipan bites.
And of course, Averno liqueur makes a fine ingredient in plenty of cocktails too.
Now we understand exactly what Averva amaro Siciliano is and how it can be used, let’s turn our attention to making this easy Averna cocktail.
Ingredients notes
The star of the show in this cocktail is of course the amaro Averna Siciliano liqueur. It works alongside Bourbon to add excitement and intrigue to this drink and to slightly sweeten it.
Tiny amounts of creme de cacao, cherry brandy and orange cocktail bitters (not to be confused with orange flavoured Italian bitters) round the drink out with hints of chocolate, cherries and citrus. Don’t be tempted to leave any of them out as it will up-skittle the balance of flavours in this beautiful Averna cocktail.
I’ve made this libation using white and brown creme de cacao and both work well, so use whatever you have to hand.
As for garnishing this drink, either use a twist of orange or some cocktail cherries. I happened to have some Luxardo Maraschino cherries to hand when I was developing this recipe. They are amazing in this cocktail (and rather delicious served with ice cream too).
Step-by-step instructions
This easy amaro Averna cocktail is quick to make and needs no fancy equipment. A cocktail jug is great, but any well-sized jug can be used in its place.
- Put a large handful of ice into a jug and add the Averna liqueur, bourbon, creme de cacao and cherry brandy
- Add 3 dashes of orange bitters
- Stir for 30-40 seconds
- Strain into a rocks glass half filled with ice
- Garnish with an orange twist or some cocktail cherries and serve
Expert Tips
- My top tip is to use plenty of ice when making this drink. The ice not only chills the drink but also dilutes those potent spirits and liqueurs
- Similarly, use good sized ice cubes in the rocks glass to keep the drink well chilled over time. Small ice cubes melt far too quickly
- Remember that this cocktail is a strong one – sip it slowly and enjoy all of those flavours
Frequently Asked Questions
I chose amaro Averna Siciliano in this cocktail because of the undertones of orange and caramel that this liqueur presents. Any deviation from this amaro is therefore not ideal but the closest acceptable alternatives would be amaro Nonino or amaro Montenegro.
Definitely do not use Campari, Aperol or Fernet Branca. Each of these Italian bitters has a wildly different flavour profile to Averna and would alter the cocktail significantly.
Personally, I find this cocktail sweet enough. It’s intended to be lingered over to fully enjoy the flavour profile. However, should you find it too bitter, try adding a little sugar cane syrup (add ½ teaspoon at a time, then stir and taste until you are happy with it)
This cocktail is easy to make in advance. In fact, you could make a batch up and age it for several weeks (or even months).
To age the cocktail measure out the ingredients for as many drinks as you would like to make. Pour into a bottle and seal. Leave until ready to drink and then proceed to mix with ice as instructed.
Alternatively, make a pre-made batch for consumption within 48 hours. Measure out the ingredients and stir with the ice, then strain and decant into a bottle. Chill until ready to serve in tumblers half-filled with ice. How’s that for speedy service? (Note: It’s best to mix no more than 2-3 drinks in a jug at a time to ensure the drink is sufficiently diluted, but you can repeat the process for as many drinks as you need and store them all in the same bottle).
More cocktails using amaro Averna liqueur
- Averna Sour
- Averna Negroni – just swap the Campari for Averna
- Black Manhattan
- Averna and Soda – pour one measure of Averna into a highball glass filled with ice and top with soda or tonic water
Other popular Italian amaro liqueurs to try
Broadly speaking, Italian bitters fall into two categories – those served as a pre-dinner drink (aperitivo) and those to drink afterwards as a digestivo. Here are a few popular ones to try:
- Campari (aperitivo)
- Cynar (digestivo)
- Fernet Branca (digestivo)
- Amaro Montenegro (digestivo)
- Aperol (aperitivo)
This is the tip of the iceberg though. There are plenty more bitters out there for those feeling like an adventure.
More cocktails using Italian Bitters
Have you made this amaro Averna cocktail? I hope you enjoyed it – please take the time to leave a comment and/ or rating if you did. I always value your feedback.
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Amaro Averna Cocktail
Ingredients
- 40 ml Bourbon
- 20 ml Amaro Averna Siciliano
- 5 ml Cherry Brandy
- 5 ml Creme de Cacao white or brown works
- 3 dashes orange bitters
- 2 Cocktail cherries
Instructions
- Put a large handful of ice into a jug and add the Averna liqueur, bourbon, creme de cacao and cherry brandy
- Add 3 dashes of orange bitters
- Stir for 30-40 seconds to chill and dilute the drink
- Strain into a rocks glass half-filled with ice
- Garnish with an orange twist or some cocktail cherries and serve
Notes
- My top tip is to use plenty of ice when making this drink. The ice not only chills the drink but also dilutes those potent spirits and liqueurs
- Similarly, use good sized ice cubes in the rocks glass to keep the drink well chilled over time. Small ice cubes melt far too quickly
- Personally, I find this cocktail sweet enough. It’s intended to be lingered over to fully enjoy the flavour profile. However, should you find it too bitter, try adding a little sugar cane syrup (add ½ teaspoon at a time, then stir and taste until you are happy with it)
- Remember that this cocktail is a strong one – sip it slowly and linger of the flavours
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