Amaro can add a floral, bitter twist to traditional cocktail recipes. Photography by Edward Urrutia Not only is it both bitter and sweet, amaro is not too high in alcohol so a splash won’t throw off the balance of your drink. It will, however, lend a massive hit of flavour and complexity. Here are three easy cocktails you can make at home with Australian amaro.
Australiana Spritz
A homegrown take on the classic Aperol Spritz, this drink is super easy to make either in single serves or big jugs for groups.
30ml Adelaide Hills Distillery Bitter Orange
60ml Australian sparkling wine
60ml soda water
- Add all ingredients to a chilled wine glass, top with as much ice as you can fit
- Garnish with a slice of orange and some brined Sicilian olives.
Aussie Negroni
With all the amazing spirits being made in Australia these days, you can now mix the world’s most popular aperitif cocktail with 100 per cent Australian ingredients.
30ml Økar Island Bitter
30ml your favourite Australian dry gin
30ml Maidenii Sweet Vermouth
- Add all ingredients to a mixing glass or cocktail shaker, fill with ice, stir until chilled and slightly diluted
- Then strain into a chilled rocks glass. Add fresh ice and garnish with a twist of orange peel.
Mallee Cocktail
This is like a Manhattan but with a more bitter and herbaceous edge. It’s named for the region where The Gospel (based in Brunswick, Melbourne) sources the grain for its rye whiskey.
50ml The Gospel Straight Rye Whiskey
15ml Never Never Distilling Co. Dark Series Black Juniper Amaro
10ml sugar syrup
- Add all ingredients to a mixing glass or cocktail shaker, fill with ice, stir until chilled and slightly diluted
- Then strain into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with lemon peel.
