Amanero – Herbal Liqueur

Amanero by Mondino, organic herbal liqueur with espresso and artichoke

Amanero by Mondino is an organic herbal liqueur from the Chiemgau region, crafted from around 30 herbal essences, espresso made from Arabica beans, and artichoke. After its composition, it rests for several months in wooden barrels. With 31 percent alcohol, it is the strongest in the family.

Amanero is the herbal liqueur from Mondino in Traunstein and the dark brother of their Aperitivo, intended for the end of a meal rather than the beginning. About 30 organic-quality herbal essences form the foundation, with espresso and artichoke providing the signature that sets it apart from any ordinary herbal liqueur.

Artichoke, orange peel, and roasted bean

The aroma features a spicy herbiness in which the artichoke is clearly discernible, backed by dark roasted notes.

On the palate, it is softer than its color suggests and pleasantly sweet before the bitter notes take over. Between these, one finds citrus and orange peel, a hint of honey, and finally the roasted coffee bean, which makes the finish long and dark.

The months in the wooden barrel ensure that these many voices do not clash. What would remain separate if freshly bottled grows together in the barrel and becomes rounded; you can taste this most clearly in the fact that no single ingredient becomes overpowering. The wood itself contributes a subtle vanilla sweetness that softens the edges of the coffee.

With espresso, on ice, after a long meal

Amanero belongs at the end of the evening, served neat at room temperature or poured over a single large ice cube, which melts more slowly and does not dilute it.

Next to a cup of espresso, it forms a pair that complements each other, as the roasted notes in the glass and the cup interlock. It stands just as well alongside a piece of dark Equateur chocolate with 75 percent cocoa, where bitterness meets bitterness, and both appear milder as a result.

In the bar, it serves as a base for dark cocktails, replacing Italian amari that are built significantly sweeter. Those looking to explore the stronger side of the range will find related bottles from other producers under Liqueurs.

A recipe from the sixties

The recipe for Amanero does not originate from Bavaria, but came to Traunstein in the 1960s in the luggage of master distiller Hans from Italy.

It lay dormant there for a long time until the ingredient list was opened up once more and expanded by two elements rarely found in classic amari. The artichoke brings a green, almost vegetable-like bitterness, the espresso a roasted one, and together they provide the dark depth by which you can recognize Amanero blindly.

It is distilled in small batches by hand; all ingredients bear the organic seal, and artificial flavors and colorings are excluded. Nato in Italia, prodotto in Baviera, as it says on the bottle: born in Italy and produced in Bavaria.

With 31 percent alcohol, Amanero stands significantly above its siblings, and in the 700 ml bottle, it is a gift for people who supposedly already have everything on their shelves. You can find the lighter varieties from the house at Mondino, and the full breadth of the category under Spirits.

Organic control body – DE-ÖKO-007 EU/Non-EU Agriculture