Amaro Montenegro (1L, 23%)

Amaro Montenegro is an Italian bitter made from 40 botanicals chosen by its founder, Stanislao Cobianchi. The recipe is kept closely guarded, and the original is said to have been locked away in a safe. Known ingredients include rhizomes, roots, seeds, spices, woods, flowers, barks, citrus peel and dried fruit. It is amber in colour with mahogany reflections. The nose opens with sweet and bitter orange, then mandarin and citron, followed by thyme, marjoram, eucalyptus and incense, and finally toasted, mineral and woodland notes. The palate is soft and silky, balancing sweet and bitter before a pleasantly bitter finish. It can be served neat, over ice or in cocktails.