How to Use Amaro: A Simple Guide to Drinking and Mixing This Bittersweet Spirit
If you’re wondering how to use amaro, you’re not alone. This bittersweet herbal liqueur has moved from back-bar secret to essential bottle, especially for bartenders, home cocktail makers, and anyone exploring the world of craft or Pacific Northwest amari. The good news? You don’t need complicated recipes or specialty ingredients to enjoy it. Amaro works beautifully in simple cocktails, spritzes, warm drinks, and even sipped neat.
This guide breaks down the best ways to drink amaro, the easiest amaro cocktails for beginners, and how to get the most out of a unique regional amaro—especially those made in Seattle and the greater PNW.
Start With an Amaro Spritz (The Easiest Way to Drink Amaro)
The amaro spritz is one of the most popular and approachable ways to use amaro. It’s refreshing, balanced, and highlights the herbal character without overwhelming you. Lighter, citrus-driven, or seasonal amari—like the styles produced in the Pacific Northwest—really shine here.
Amaro Spritz Recipe:
2 oz amaro
3 oz sparkling wine
Splash of soda water
Ice + citrus garnish
Build it directly in a wine glass. The bubbles lift the aromatics, soften the bitterness, and create a bright, easy cocktail perfect for warm weather.
Sip Amaro Neat or On the Rocks
One of the classic ways to enjoy amaro is neat or over ice. This is the best way to understand the amaro’s botanical profile—its bitterness, sweetness, aromatics, texture, and seasonal characteristics. If you’re exploring PNW amaro or a Seattle-made amaro, sipping it straight lets you experience the regional botanicals in the purest form.
Neat or on the rocks is also the ideal “tasting step” before deciding how you want to use it in cocktails.
Warm Up With an Amaro Caldo
When temperatures drop, the amaro caldo (or hot amaro) is a simple, comforting way to enjoy this spirit. It’s basically an herbal hot toddy without the extra ingredients.
Amaro Caldo Recipe:
1½–2 oz amaro
Hot water
Lemon peel or ginger
Pour the amaro into a mug, top with hot water, garnish lightly, and drink. This is where darker or more forest-driven regional amari shine—especially those made with Cascadia botanicals.
Top 3 Amaro Cocktails Everyone Should Know
You don’t need a full bar setup. These essential amaro cocktails use minimal ingredients and highlight how versatile the spirit truly is.
Black Manhattan
A richer, bittersweet version of the classic Manhattan.
Recipe:
2 oz rye or bourbon
1 oz amaro
2 dashes bitters
Stir, strain, garnish with a cherry. Ideal for structured, balanced amari.
Paper Plane
A modern favorite with perfect balance.
Recipe:
1 oz bourbon
1 oz amaro (classic or citrus-forward works)
1 oz lemon juice
1 oz simple syrup
Shake and strain. This is one of the easiest ways to introduce people to amaro.
Amaro Highball
Simple, refreshing, and great for showcasing herbal structure.
Recipe:
2 oz amaro
4–6 oz soda water
Lemon wedge
Build in a tall glass over ice. The bubbles amplify the botanicals.
Amaro Is All About Balance, Bitterness, and Simplicity
Whether you’re making a spritz, sipping it neat, building a warm amaro drink, or mixing classic cocktails, the basics remain the same: amaro works because of its balance of bitter, sweet, and aromatic botanicals. Once you learn its structure, it becomes one of the most useful bottles in your bar.
Sennza Finne shines in all the basic applications—and especially in the hands of anyone who values bitter, balanced, Pacific Northwest–driven amaro. See our Amari.