Nonalcoholic Amaro Is More Exciting Than Ever

While many nonalcoholic spirits still struggle to accurately channel the flavor and feel of their spirited counterparts, the category of zero-proof amaro has seen promising innovation. 

Without alcohol, it’s still a challenge to address the lack of texture, mouthfeel, brightness or the familiar warmth that’s expected, but amaro has an advantage over other spirits “because you are still able to achieve the familiar flavors coming from macerating traditional amaro ingredients like herbs, botanicals and citrus,” says Robby Dow, owner of Bespoke, an Italian-inspired, all-day café and cocktail bar in Wilmington, North Carolina. For those who don’t drink, Dow says, these spirits present “a very special opportunity for inclusion while still providing a quality product that tastes great.” 

In addition to being enjoyed neat or in N/A drinks, nonalcoholic amari are making their way into spirited drinks, too. “Most people drinking nonalcoholic drinks aren’t necessarily sober; they’re simply looking for alternatives to integrate into their drinking habits,” says Michael Toscano, East Coast Regional Director for The Pathfinder, maker of a bartender beloved N/A product. 

Given the dynamic nature of bittersweet, herbal liqueurs, I’m guilty of stretching open my well-worn bitter umbrella to encompass a wide range when it comes to what makes an amaro, an amaro. But in this case, I’m spotlighting some of my personal picks that would slot well into anywhere a digestif might. Read on to learn more about five nonalcoholic amaro expressions that have my full attention.