Italy is the land of pizza, Provolone and love. But it is also the birthplace of the Martini, Aperol and Amaro. We are referring, of course, to the non-alcoholic Martini, the alcohol-free Spritz and the non-alcoholic Amaro. It is traditional to drink a digestive after a meal to facilitate digestion and conversation. But that doesn’t mean drinking alcohol, which, instead of contributing to relaxed conversation, often only fuels tensions or encourages misunderstandings. Luckily alcohol-free italian spirits exist.
At The Blue Dolphin Store we bring you two traditional Italian alcohol-free spirits. Non-alcoholic spirits are the trendiest category in our non-alcoholic drinks store.
Imagine Italian alcohol-free gin
The alcohol-free gin Imagineis handcrafted in Italy from the highest quality natural botanicals. It contains intriguing balsamic notes of ginger and chili that further enhance its complex aromatic bouquet. Without a doubt it is one of our most premium alcohol-free gins.
This non-alcoholic gin is special, each individual bottle has a unique progressive code on the label. The reason is that the label is not static but changes periodically. It is a “showcase” for artists and creatives who share the value of happy and sustainable coexistence. The labels of the first 3 production batches were designed by the artist Antonio Colomboni.
Alcohol-free Amaro Dr ZeroZero made in Italy
The alcohol-free Amaro Dr ZeroZero is the latest from Italy, the trendy alcohol-free digestif. The non-alcoholic amaro (plural amari) is an intense and balanced liqueur with a bitter and persistent taste, drunk on its own or with ice, especially after meals. It is brown in colour, with aromas of orange peel and herbs. A typical amaro is made from several (sometimes up to dozen) herbs and roots. Some manufacturers list the ingredients in some detail on the label of the bottle. According to The New York Times, it usually includes gentian, angelica and cinchona, and sometimes also lemon balm, verbena, juniper, anise, fennel, turmeric, ginger, mint, thyme, sage, bay, citrus peel, licorice, cinnamon, pennyroyal, cardamom, saffron, rue, wormwood or elderberry.
Types of Amari
Amari can be classified according to the ingredients and the region in which it is made, such as Fernet, the most bitter of all. It is made with roots, the Rabarbaro made with rhubarb, the Carciofo comes from an artichoke or the Alpine is elaborated with alpine herbs. The China is made with cinchona or the Tartufo, of course, is elaborated with black truffle. There are dozens of varieties, the least bitter and mildest being Averna, Ramazzotti, Lucano and Montenegro.
Amaro is not to be confused with amarone, an Italian dry red wine from Valpolicella, or with amaretto, another Italian liqueur that is absolutely different. Amaretto is semi-sweet, nutty and vanilla candied. Its sweetness is balanced by the slight natural bitterness of the almonds used in its production.
How do you drink non-alcoholic Amaro?
This type of bitter liqueur originated in the monasteries. They were traditionally dispensed in apothecaries and were highly prized for their medicinal properties. Amari (the Italian plural of Amaro) is traditionally served as a digestive drink, after a meal. It can be taken neat at room temperature, but also with a slice of citrus fruit, mainly lemon or orange, or mixed with tonic water. Some serve it over crushed ice as an aperitif, or on the rocks.
It is a versatile and delicious drink, both traditional and modern at the same time. Drinking amaro is not just a fashion, it is a way of life. A more relaxed, more familiar approach, but also more passionate, with more conversation and human interchange and fewer screens. Quite like a family evening, with three generations at the table, in The Tuscany.
