This Amaro Montenegro cocktail combines Amaro Montenegro liqueur with bourbon and Campari to create a libation that is big on flavour. This Amaro Montenegro drink is mellow, well-rounded and simply delicious.
Fans of Italian bitters should also try my Averna cocktail.
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This Amaro Montenegro cocktail is a blend of American bourbon with two classic Italian bitter liqueurs: Amaro Montenegro and Campari. As such, I refer to it as the Italian American.
A splash of maple syrup and lemon juice turns this robust bourbon amaro cocktail into a smooth, mellow yet slightly bitter short libation. It’s a great example of an Amaro Montenegro drink.
Why you should make this Montenegro drink
- Quick and easy – ready in less than 5 minutes.
- No fancy equipment is needed – if you don’t have a cocktail jug a large kitchen jug will suffice.
- Plenty of flavour – this Amaro Montenegro drink is bittersweet and mellow with undertones of lively citrus too. The grown-up flavour profile is worth lingering over rather than quaffing quickly.
- A great entry point to bittersweet cocktails as Montenegro is quite an approachable Italian bitter for anybody new to this family of liqueurs.
What is Amaro Montenegro?
If you’re new to Amaro Montenegro, it is a bitter-sweet Italian liqueur often savoured as an after-dinner digestif. The complex balance of flavours incorporates floral notes and nuances of herbs, spice and citrus. It manages to be both bitter yet sweet and warming yet fresh& fruity. It really is an exquisite mouthful of flavours.
Here are some key facts about this Italian bitter liqueur:
- The Amaro Montenegro drink was first created in 1885 and was named after Princess Elena of Montenegro, who married the future king of Italy, Prince Vittorio Emanuele III.
- Although the exact recipe is a secret, it is known to be crafted from a blend of 40 botanicals including cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, oranges, coriander seeds, marjoram, oregano and artemisia (wormwood).
- This liqueur is 23% ABV (alcohol by volume), so it’s not as hardcore as a spirit such as gin or vodka, but it still packs quite a punch.
- It can be enjoyed neat, on the rocks or in cocktails.
- Incidentally, amaro translates from Italian to bitter.
Have you spotted my Aperol negroni, negroni sour and white negroni recipes? They all make great use of different liqueurs from the family of Italian bitters.
Ingredients notes
Amaro Montenegro liqueur: this is the star ingredient. It tames and tempers the bourbon in a way that Campari alone does not. You are unlikely to find it in a UK supermarket but it can easily be purchased up online.
Bourbon: this is a great partner to Italian bitter liqueurs. It’s strong enough to withstand the bold flavours of the liqueurs but mellow and gentle enough to allow the intriguing flavours of the bitters to present themselves. Pick the best bourbon that you can afford as it is a key ingredient in this bourbon amaro cocktail.
Campari: this is arguably the most well-known of all Italian bitter liqueurs. It’s perhaps not common to mix bitters together, but in this instance, it’s a happy partnership. Campari imparts extra bitterness than Montenegro alone and a burst of additional fruitiness.
Step by step instructions
Making this Amaro Montenegro drink couldn’t be quicker or simpler – it takes less than 5 minutes to make:
- Put the bourbon, Montenegro and Campari ingredients into a cocktail jug with a handful of ice.
- Drizzle in the maple syrup and lemon juice.
- Mix with a long spoon for 30 seconds.
- Strain into a cocktail glass, garnish with a twist of lemon and serve immediately.
Expert tips
- Use plenty of ice when making this drink. The ice not only chills the drink but also dilutes those potent spirits and liqueurs. It is essential to stir it with the ice for at least 30 seconds.
- If time allows, chill the serving glass for 15 minutes before pouring the drink. Doing so helps ensure the drink is satisfyingly chilled at the point of serving.
- Don’t add maple syrup to the jug first. It will cling to the ice and not mix in so well.
- Keep in mind that this Amaro cocktail is a strong one – sip it slowly and enjoy all of those flavours.
- Have some fun playing around with alternative garnishes. Swap the lemon zest for orange zest. Add a juicy brined green olive or garnish with a cinnamon stick.
Frequently asked questions
I chose Amaro Montenegro in this cocktail because of the blend of flavours presented in this Italian bitter liqueur. Deviating from this amaro is therefore not ideal but the closest acceptable alternatives would be Amaro Meletti or Amaro Nonino Quintessentia.
Avoid using Amaro Averna, Aperol or Fernet Branca as substitutes. Each of these Italian bitters has a wildly different flavour profile to Amaro Montenegro and would alter the cocktail significantly.
Yes, you can. I find the balance of flavour just right in this bourbon amaro cocktail, but if your taste preferences disagree, try increasing the amount of maple syrup slightly.
Honestly, that’s up to you. It is well-suited to Nick and Nora style glasses or coupe glasses. You could even serve this drink in a tumbler filled with ice.
Yes, you can. Prepare as many servings of this bourbon and Amaro cocktail as desired up to the end of step 2. Strain from the ice and decant into a sealable bottle. Keep refrigerated for up to 1 week and pour servings as required. You may need to gently tip the bottle several times if lemon juice particles have settled at the bottom.
Other popular Amaro Montenegro cocktails
If you’re after a long drink try partnering Amaro Montenegro liqueur with soda water, tonic water or ginger ale. Use plenty of ice, drop in a wedge of fresh lemon or grapefruit and away you go.
And, if you’ve picked up a bottle of the good stuff, I wouldn’t want you to get bored quaffing the same drinks time after time, so try your hand at these popular Amaro Montenegro cocktails too:
- Montenegroni – I do love a good Negroni riff.
- Paper Plane – A tasty blend of whiskey, Aperol and Amaro.
- Monterita – a twist on the tequila margarita.
Alternatively, shake up your own Amaro Montenegro cocktail. This liqueur pairs well with bourbon, whiskey, tequila, rum, mezcal and vermouth to name a few options. Embellish your creation with citrussy elements, such as lemon, grapefruit or pomelo for a great Montenegro drink.
More amaro cocktails to try
If you’re lucky enough to have space on your shelf for more Italian bitter liqueurs, rifle through my range of amaro cocktails to make use of a few of them.
Have you made this Amaro Montenegro drink? Please give it a rating or leave a comment – I always love to hear how readers get along with my creations.
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📖 Recipe
The Italian American – an Amaro Montenegro Cocktail
Ingredients
- 30 ml/ 2 tablespoons Bourbon
- 15 ml/ 1 tablespoon Amaro Montenegro Liqueur
- 15 ml/ 1 tablespoon Campari
- 5 ml/ 1 teaspoon Lemon juice
- 2.5 ml/ ½ teaspoon Maple syrup
- Twist fresh lemon peel
Instructions
- Put the first 3 ingredients into a cocktail jug with a handful of ice.
- Next drizzle in the lemon juice and maple syrup.
- Mix with a long spoon for 30 seconds.
- Strain into a cocktail glass, garnish with a twist of lemon and serve immediately.
Notes
- Use plenty of ice when making this drink. The ice not only chills the drink but also dilutes those potent spirits and liqueurs. It is essential to stir it with the ice for at least 30 seconds.
- If time allows, chill the serving glass for 15 minutes before pouring the drink. Doing so helps ensure the drink is satisfyingly chilled at the point of serving.
- Keep in mind that this Amaro Montenegro cocktail is a strong one – sip it slowly and enjoy all of those flavours.
- Have some fun playing around with alternative garnishes. Swap the lemon zest for orange zest. Add a juicy brined green olive or garnish with a cinnamon stick.
Very pissed off human
This is genuinely the most frustrating and annoying blog I’ve ever read.
Too long, too many ads, horrible story, even worse writing, and THEN YOU DONT EVEN LIST THE RECIPE IN OZ!!!!! I know of not ONE bartender that is buying TEASPOON AND TABLESPOON jiggers!!!!!!!!!!
Hire a better SEO specialist
Jane Coupland
Sorry you feel that way. This blog is written for the average person in their home kitchen rather than bartenders. First of all, what story are you referring to? I have not included a story in this post, so I’m a little baffled.
Not everybody has jiggers at home but most people do have the ability to measure in ml either with digital kitchen scales or measuring spoons. Would a bartender not be able to make the necessary adjustments to ounces and jigger use given their skillset? I rather thought they would.
As for the ads, this is how I cover the costs of running this site and earn a living. The benefit for my readers is the free recipes that they have access to. I also provide a ‘jump to recipe‘ button at the very top of my post for anybody wishing to skip the information about ingredients and how to make it. Plenty of readers do find this information highly useful, but I don’t like to assume everybody needs it, hence the jump to recipe option.
Have a super day – your user name has already put a smile on my face today.
Emilia
I made this with day trip strawberry amaro and rhubarb simple syrup. Yummy!
Jane Coupland
Sounds great Emilia – I love customising cocktails and, I have to admit, I’m slightly jealous of that strawberry Amaro you’ve gotten hold of!
Don
Great balance of sweetness and bitterness! This is one of my new “go to” drinks.
Jane Saunders
Thank Don, super happy to hear you like it so much 🙂
das_ein
Incredible! It’s now one of my standard cocktails, written into the front cover of my cocktail recipe book. It’s just adult enough of a cocktail but not overpowering.
Jane Saunders
Thanks so much for your kind comment!
Alyssa
Jane, thank you very much! I really liked the recipe, I took it to my recipe book)
Jane Saunders
Thanks so much – I feel very honoured to have made it into your recipe book!
Jennifer A Stewart
I am totally out of the loop when it comes to other liqueurs and I need to start educating myself for sure! I think I am going to start with Campari and Amaro first so I can try this cocktail! Love Christine by the way. She is such a great encourager:)
Jane Saunders
It’ll be a good start – I have several Campari recipes on here and with this drink and Christine’s recipe for the Amaro too, you’ll be well away.
Jo
Jane, your cocktails are legendary and these photos are fab – wanna drink it now. Encourage readers to make this ASAP and a great treat for Christmas or just a Friday night…
Jane Saunders
Thanks Jo. You know, I have dreams of writing a cocktail recipe book one day. Or a general drinks book. That’s along with a baking book. So many ideas, but for now cheers – Italian American style. Let’s hope the craze catches on…