Bosca, Giovanni Cardamaro Vino Amaro

Made in the Piedmont region of Italy, the base for Cardamaro is wine as opposed to neutral grain spirit. It is then flavored with cardoon, a relative of the artichoke, and blessed thistle among other herbs and spices. In the glass it is light brown and shares a slightly oxidative note similar to Madeira. Mountain herbs, citrus, brown sugar, and cinnamon come to mind on the nose, and the palate is lighter, pleasantly sweet with hints of toasted hazelnut and citrus. Favored by bartenders for its softer, more aromatic style, it is excellent in a wide array of cocktails and fantastic on its own. It’s also an excellent value! - Tim Gagnon