Montenegro Amaro Recipe

Measure and prepare

Weigh and measure all dried botanicals. Lightly crush coriander seed and break the cinnamon stick. Split the vanilla bean lengthwise to expose the seeds. Zest the citrus as needed, removing pith to avoid extra bitterness.

Rinse any dusty dried botanicals briefly in 50 ml filtered water and drain. This step is optional but helps remove dust while retaining aromatics.

Macerate bitter roots

Place gentian root and quassia wood/cinchona in a clean glass jar. Pour 300 ml of the neutral spirit over them, seal, and shake gently. Let macerate for 48 hours at room temperature, shaking twice daily. This extracts the bitter backbone slowly and avoids over-extraction of harsh compounds.

Strain bitter maceration

After 48 hours, strain the spirit through a fine mesh or coffee filter into a clean vessel, reserving the infused spirit. Discard or compost the spent roots.

Add citrus, spice and floral botanicals

Combine the reserved bitter-infused spirit with the remaining 200 ml of neutral spirit in a large jar. Add bitter and sweet orange peels, lemon/tangerine zest, coriander, angelica root, split vanilla bean, lavender, chamomile, cinnamon, nutmeg, and bergamot (if using). Seal and macerate for 5–7 days at room temperature, shaking once daily. Taste at day 3 and day 5 to judge extraction; longer will increase aromatic intensity.

Strain aromatic infusion

When you reach the desired aroma balance (typically 5 days), strain the spirit through a fine mesh and then a coffee filter to clarify. Collect the infused spirit in a clean container.

Prepare simple syrup

Combine equal parts sugar and water (by weight) to make a 1:1 simple syrup. Heat gently until sugar dissolves, then cool to room temperature. Measure 200 ml of finished syrup.

Slowly add the 200 ml simple syrup to the infused spirit, stirring gently and tasting as you go. Montenegro is moderately sweet with balanced bitterness — adjust by adding up to 25% more syrup if you prefer sweeter, or dilute slightly with water if too sweet.

If the color needs deepening, add approximately 5 ml of caramel (deep amber sugar syrup) and stir to incorporate. This is optional and primarily visual.

Dilute to drinking strength

Measure the combined volume and alcohol strength (if you can). As a guideline, add about 300 ml spring water to bring the blend to roughly 23–24% ABV (a typical Montenegro-like strength). Add water gradually, stirring and tasting until you reach preferred balance and mouthfeel.

Bottle the amaro in a clean glass bottle and seal. Let the bottled amaro rest for at least 2 weeks in a cool, dark place to marry flavors; 4–8 weeks will yield a smoother, more integrated final product.

Before serving, chill or serve over ice. Garnish with an orange twist for cocktails or sipping.