 | |
| Type | Liqueur |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Amaro Lucano S.p.A. |
| Country of origin | Pisticci, Basilicata, Italy |
| Introduced | 1894 |
| Alcohol by volume | 28.0% |
| Proof (US) | 56 Proof |
| Website | www |
Amaro Lucano is an Italian herbal liqueur in the amaro category. It is produced by Amaro Lucano S.p.A., a family-owned company based in Pisticci, Basilicata, Italy. The adjective "Lucano" comes from Lucania, another name for Basilicata. [1]
It was created in 1894 by Pasquale Vena, a pastry chef who blended more than 30 herbs. [2] [3] The secret recipe has been passed from generation to generation in the Vena family. In 1900, Amaro Lucano gained fame throughout the Kingdom of Italy, after the Vena family became the official supplier to the House of Savoy, [2] [4] whose coat of arms appears on the label.
After a period of recession during World War II, in 1950 the workshop became an industrial enterprise under the management of Vena's sons Leonardo and Giuseppe and in 1965 a new factory in the frazione (hamlet) Pisticci Scalo was opened.[ citation needed ]
In the 1970s, the Vena family also began producing other alcohol-based drinks under the name "Lucano" such as the sambuca, limoncello and coffee varieties, as well as liqueur-filled chocolates.[ citation needed ]
The process of preparing Amaro Lucano is divided into seven steps: the selection, the infusion, the processing, the secret, the control, the mixture, and the bottling. [5]
The herbs needed for the mixture come from different areas of the world. They are dried naturally, crushed and mixed together. Among the herbs used, there are:[ citation needed ]
The mixture is steeped in solutions of pure alcohol and water; it then goes through a hot infusion process in thermo-controlled baths (55°/60 °C) overnight. [5]
The mixture undergoes hot pressing to obtain an infusion. [5]
Once the infusion is ready, the family secret ingredient is added to obtain the extract. [5]
Laboratory tests are run; the extract is aged for a period of five months. During the aging process, there is stratification, which means that heavy components are on the bottom, while lighter components are on the top. The "heart" of the extract is the one kept. [1]
Pure alcohol, essential oils, water, the aged extract, sugar, caramel and water are mixed in a large tank to get a hydro-alcoholic solution. [5]
The mixture is then filtered, bottled and ready to be sold. [5]
Amaro Lucano is caramel brown in colour, has a bittersweet flavour, and its strength is 28% alc/vol. [2] It can be savoured neat, chilled, with ice or orange zest. It is usually served as a digestif after a meal and also as a base for cocktails. [2]
Amaro Lucano is used as an apéritif and digestif, after-dinner drink, and all-day drink. It is used in cocktails such as Italian Sangria, Gelato Lucano, Amarcord. [6]
Sambuca is an Italian anise-flavoured liqueur. Its most common variety is often referred to as "white sambuca" to differentiate it from other varieties that are deep blue or bright red. Like other anise-flavoured liqueurs, the ouzo effect is sometimes observed when combined with water.
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Pastis is an anise-flavoured spirit and apéritif traditionally from France, typically containing less than 100 g/L sugar and 40–45% ABV.
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Apéritifs and digestifs are drinks, typically alcoholic, that are normally served before (apéritif) or after (digestif) a meal respectively.
Campari is an Italian alcoholic liqueur, considered an apéritif, of the amaro variety, obtained from the infusion of herbs and fruit in alcohol and water. It is a type of bitters, characterised by its dark red colour. It is produced by the Davide Campari Group, a multinational company based in Italy.
Limoncello is an Italian lemon liqueur mainly produced in southern Italy, especially in the region around the Gulf of Naples, the Amalfi Coast and Sicily. It is the second-most popular liqueur in Italy and is traditionally served chilled as an after-dinner digestif. It is also a popular homemade liqueur, with various recipes available online and in print.
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Kräuterlikör is a type of liqueur that is flavored with herbs or spices and traditionally drunk neat as a digestif, very close to the concept of an italian amaro.
A liqueur coffee is a caffeinated alcoholic drink that consists of a shot of liqueur, mixed with coffee. It is typically served in a liqueur glass, often accompanied with cream and sugar. Coffee liqueur beverages are served in different fashions and can be found throughout many countries. One of the most popular liqueur coffee beverage is commonly known as Irish coffee. Liqueur coffee beverages are largely classified as cocktails as well as digestifs which are aimed at aiding the digestive process typically after a meal.
Licor 43, or Cuarenta y Tres, is a Spanish liqueur, made in Cartagena, Spain.
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Amaro is an Italian herbal liqueur that is commonly consumed as an after-dinner digestif. It usually has a bitter-sweet flavour, sometimes syrupy, and has an alcohol content between 16% and 40%.
Amaro Averna is an Italian liqueur in the amaro category produced in Caltanissetta, Italy. It is named after its inventor, Salvatore Averna, who invented the recipe in 1868. This drink is produced on the Island of Sicily and is considered a traditional drink. The Averna company was acquired in 2014 by Gruppo Campari.
Gran Classico Bitter is an alcoholic apéritif/digestif created following the "Italian Bitter of Turin" recipe dating from the 1860s. This recipe, which was originally produced under the name Torino Gran Classico, had been purchased in 1925 from a Turin-based distillery by the small Swiss distillery E. Luginbühl, located near Bern.
Calisaya is a herbal liqueur produced by infusing cinchona calisaya, and other barks, roots and flowers in grain neutral spirit and Seville orange extract. It is a contemporary revision of the classic Italian amaro. It is handcrafted in small numbered batches by Elixir, Inc., a craft distillery in Eugene, Oregon, which was founded by the Italian brothers Andrea and Mario Loreto.
Aromatised wine is a wine flavoured with aromatic herbs and spices. These are classified by their alcohol content and the flavourings and other ingredients used. The European Union defines three categories which are: 'aromatised wine', 'aromatised wine-based drink' and 'aromatised wine-product cocktail'. Drinks which have an alcohol content of 1.2% abv or less, cannot be labelled as containing wine.
