Amaro Averna Cocktail

Close up of an amaro and bourbon cocktail.

5 from 2 votes

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.

Prep Time5

Total Time5

Course: Alcoholic Drink

Cuisine: Italian, Worldwide

Diet: Vegetarian

Servings:

Calories: 209kcal

Author: Jane Coupland

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

Substitutes for the Averna

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.

How to age this cocktail

Measure out the ingredients for as many drinks as you would like to make. Do not mix with ice. Pour into a bottle and seal. Leave until ready to drink and then proceed to mix with ice as instructed.

How to Make this cocktail in advance

To 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.

(Note: It's best to mix no more than 2-3 drinks in a jug at a time to ensure the drink is sufficiently chilled - but you can repeat the process for as many drinks as you need).

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