AVERNA

TRY ME IF YOU LOVE: Italian Amari

ABV: 29%

FROM: Sicily, Italy

TASTING NOTES: Averna has a mouth-coating and bittersweet taste, carrying hints of orange and liquorice, balanced with notes of myrtle, juniper berries, rosemary, and sage.

SERVE ME: Swap this in for the sweet vermouth in a Negroni for a slightly sweeter rift on the classic.

In 1868, the recipe was gifted by the monk Frà Girolamo to the textile merchant Salvatore Averna as a token of gratitude for his commitment to the local community. He began producing it in his family farmhouse for guests in Xiboli. By the early 1900s, the recipe and business were passed to Salvatore’s son, Francesco Averna, who spread the word at fairs in Italy and abroad.

It was during a visit to King Umberto I in 1895 that Francesco was gifted a golden brooch with the Savoy House emblem to mark the drink’s ever growing status in Italy. In 1912, Vittorio Emanuele III bestowed Averna the right to print the royal coat of arms with the inscription “Royal Household Patent” on its bottle.

After more than 150 years, Averna liqueur is still infused in Caltanissetta, at the very heart of Sicily. The amaro siciliano is made according to the traditional recipe, unchanged since 1868, following a lengthy infusion process.