Amaro

On the What's Cooking thread Jenise mentioned the Paper Plane which is one of my favorite cocktails. We gravitate to more complex, bitter flavors - think Cynar and anything with gentiana. Sweet is such an appetite killer! Lately using Tanqueray #10 because it already has the botanicals of a good dry vermouth.
Very curious about the amaro tasting and the specific Washington winner. Please tell

[Jenise]

The amaro tasting was hosted by my BFF, a wine blogger who a few months ago received a sample of amaro (Ramazotti), a type of drink she'd never had before, and now she's in love. Turns out I had five on hand to offer, including one from Iceland with lichen in it, and while dredging up information on them over the internet I stumbled over one called Amarino which is made here in Washington. It sounded interesting so I ordered a bottle (from Total Wine), loved it, and took it to the tasting.

The Amaros were arranged from light to dark. The tasting was a pretty good set of training wheels for this class of hooch. For instance I discovered that I didn't care as much for the dark ones as I did those of light to medium color. Caramel and black licorice tones in the darkest ones were far more interesting to others than they were to me, and my top three were all in the light to mediums which showed more spice and botanicals. Despite everyone's different leanings, the Amarino (medium) was nonetheless everybody's #1 or #2, and it handily won first place. It had a very specific orange note which is why when I saw Ming Tsai make a Paper Plane, I knew I had to go there.

Funny thing, Ming put an additional orange-colored liqueur in his, but I didn't see a brand name. So yesterday I went shopping for an orange-colored liqueur and all I could find was a Potter's Orange Curacao, so I bought that. When I got home I went online to verify the recipe in my head only to discover that no one else uses an orange liqueur. Oh well! I used it.

EXCELLENT DRINK. I had not planned to serve more than one cocktail per person (I never do, and this dinner was actually all about tasting two particular wines with the main course), but I can hardly remember a drink that went down so smooth. Notably, the Amarino didn't disappear--it was the standout ingredient. Dave and Bob's glasses were empty almost immediately and I had to make a second batch.

What Amaro do you use in your Paper Planes?

I

[Jenise]

Christina, here's a link to the distiller:

https://www.letterpressdistilling.com/products/

I see they mention a Seville orange base.

We choose amaro for Paper Plane based on desired savory/bitter intensity. Amaro Nonino for least, Cynar for a middle ground and Zucca Rabarbaro most.
Yellow gentian root is harvested in the Italian Apennines and it's flavor is unmistakable. I've been nursing a bottle of home made gentiana from an elderly relative in the Abruzzi region and this makes a terrific Paper Plane and Negroni

Looked at Letterpress distillers and considering ordering the Amorino and Gentiana. How dominant is the sweetness of the Amarino? Not a fan of sweet but anxious to try their offerings. Might go with the Riserva which sounds more complex.

[Jenise]

Christina, have to admit I remember commenting that I wish the Amarino were less sweet "but at the same time it has flavors different from all the others that I love". Concerned about the sweetness and standing out as New World because of that (the others were one Swiss and the rest Italian), where my hostess at this event initially had it first in the line-up I had her move it down a few places specifically to see if it would stand out or fit in. Among the others it didn't present as sweet as it had at home, and everyone agreed that it fit in just fine and was a stand-out for other reasons. Btw, a Nonino was my other favorite, more botanical than most and lacking the caramel/licorice tones of dark ones I didn't care for as much among those we tried. To be fair, I think most there were thinking of the amaros categorically as something to sip over ice where my primary interest was mixed drinks.

I'd like to try the Reserve too.

Thanks Jenise. Very helpful. I'm going to order the Riserva and the Gentiana. Really use amaro primarily in cocktails and just love Tanqueray # 10 for the definite botanical notes in cocktails when using an amaro that has less gentian flavors.

[Jenise]

You and I share the same palate. I'll have to try Tanqueray #10!

Jenise, you may already know this cocktail. One of our favorites with even less or no simple syrup. Love the name.....Pessimist's Requiem. https://food52.com/recipes/23227-the-pe ... -s-requiem

Heck, go all the way to Eeyore's Requiem:

1-1/2 ounces red bitter apéritif (e.g. Campari)
1 ounce French blanc vermouth (preferably Dolin)
1/2 ounce gin (preferably Tanqueray)
1/4 ounce Cynar
1/4 ounce Fernet-Branca
2 dashes orange bitters
3 orange twists

1. Add the red bitter apéritif, vermouth, gin, Cynar, Fernet-Branca, and orange bitters to a mixing class. Fill two-thirds with ice and stir until well-chilled, 15 to 20 seconds.
2. Strain into a chilled coupe glass. Express the oil from two of the orange twists, colorful side down (facing the drink) and squeezing to extract the oils over the surface of the drink. Discard the two twists and garnish the drink with the third.

[Jenise]

I have never heard of Requiem cocktails! Sounds like something I'd like a lot--will have to go buy Cynar, but I'm good on the rest. Sounds delightful and I would so appreciate less sweetness. I generally make Manhattans etc without the simple syrup.

2. Strain into a chilled coupe glass. Express the oil from two of the orange twists, colorful side down (facing the drink) and squeezing to extract the oils over the surface of the drink. Discard the two twists and garnish the drink with the third.

And to extract the maximum essential oil from the twists, bend them backwards and rub the peel against itself. That's where the oil glands exist.

[Jenise]

To release the essential oils, I heat my twists by sticking them into the fire on my gas stove (with tongs).

I did order the Letterpress Distillery Amaro Amarino Riserva and Genziana Fernanda and have been making Negronis and Boulevardiers swapping the Letterpress amaros for Campari. Using the Tanqueray #10 eliminates the need for vermouth and the Riserva has enough sweetness. I would say that the gentian bitterness is muted except at the finish where it becomes quite definite. Not fans of sweet cocktails we generally start with half as much of the sweet vermouth if any or substitute a dry vermouth
We've also been trying the Marianito Preparado described in the March Food and Wine, again substituting for Campari. Spanish vermouth however is hard to find and we've been nursing what we brought home from the duty free shop on our last trip to Spain.