Amaro Montenegro Recipe

Prepare botanicals

Lightly crush juniper berries, coriander seeds and cardamom pods with a mortar and pestle. Split the vanilla bean lengthwise. If any peels are fresh, dry them thoroughly first; recipe assumes dried peels.

Combine botanicals with spirit

Place all herbs and spices from the 'Herbal Maceration' section in a wide-mouth glass jar. Pour 750 ml neutral spirit over the botanicals so they are fully submerged. Stir or shake lightly to remove air pockets.

Macerate

Seal the jar and store in a cool, dark place. Macerate for 10–14 days, shaking once daily. Taste every 2–3 days after day 7 to monitor development of bitterness and aroma — you want a balanced, aromatic infusion without excessive astringency.

Strain infusion

After maceration is complete, strain the spirit through a fine-mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth (or coffee filter) into a clean container. Press gently on solids to extract liquid but avoid forcing through too much particulate. Reserve the strained botanicals if you plan to re-infuse.

Make sugar syrup

Combine 600 ml water, 350 g granulated sugar and 50 g light brown sugar in a saucepan. Warm over medium heat, stirring until sugars dissolve. Bring to a gentle simmer for 2–3 minutes to meld flavors, then remove from heat and cool to room temperature. (Do not caramelize.)

Blend infusion and syrup

When syrup is cool, slowly add it to the strained herbal infusion and stir to combine. This both reduces the alcohol by volume and balances the bitterness with sweetness. Taste and evaluate: the target final ABV is approximately 23–24% and a bittersweet balance reminiscent of classic amaro.

Adjust sweetness and strength

If the liqueur is too bitter, dissolve up to an additional 25–50 g sugar into a small amount of warm water and add incrementally to taste. If too strong (hot alcohol), add a small amount of water. Optionally add 50 ml of 40–50% ABV spirit to round the mouthfeel and aroma.

Rest and marry

Bottle the blended liqueur in a sealed glass bottle and let it rest for 2–4 weeks in a cool, dark place to allow flavors to marry and soften. Shake gently once or twice a week. Longer aging (2–3 months) will further harmonize flavors.

Filter and bottle

After resting, filter the liqueur through a coffee filter or fine paper filter to remove any remaining sediment. Decant into clean bottles, label, and store upright in a cool, dark place. Serve chilled or at room temperature as a digestif.