In a small saucepan combine 1 cup Averna, dried orange peel, star anise, licorice root, and the split vanilla bean (or vanilla extract). Gently warm over low heat until just steaming (do not boil) for 8–10 minutes to help marry and lift the added aromatics. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature, covered, for 30 minutes to continue infusing.

After cooling, strain the infused Averna through a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth into a clean container to remove solids (peel, star anise, licice root and vanilla pod pieces). If you used vanilla extract instead of a bean, add it after straining.

Taste the infused liqueur. If you want a more pronounced cola-sweet note, stir in 2 tablespoons cola syrup and up to 1 tablespoon simple syrup to adjust sweetness. Mix thoroughly. Chill the infused Averna in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before serving (can rest up to 24 hours).

Serve (neat, on the rocks, or highball)

Neat or on the rocks (digestif)

For a classic tasting, fill a rocks glass with 3–4 ice pieces (or none for neat). Pour 2 oz (about 1/4 cup) of the infused Averna over the ice. Express an orange twist over the glass to release oils, rim the glass with the peel, then drop it in as garnish. Serve immediately.

Highball (Averna & Cola)

Fill a highball glass with ice (4–6 pieces). Add 2 oz of the infused Averna, then top with 2 oz chilled cola. Stir gently once to combine. Garnish with an expressed orange twist. Adjust cola to taste for sweeter, longer drink.

Storage: keep leftover infused Averna in a sealed bottle in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. If sweetness rises, stir or decant before serving.