Disaronno Amaretto

Disaronno is an Italian amaretto from Lombardia, bottled at 28% ABV. It's an almond-flavored liqueur, and it's known as much for its squat, square bottle as for what's in it. The producer traces the recipe to 1525. The Reina family first produced and sold it commercially in the early twentieth century in Saronno, just outside Milan. It was labeled Amaretto di Saronno until 2001, when the "Amaretto" was dropped and the name became simply Disaronno. Expect the marzipan-and-toasted-almond character that defines the style. Amaretto of this kind usually leans on a bitter-almond, cherry-pit note more than on literal nuts, with a stone-fruit edge and a hint of vanilla or caramel underneath. It is clearly sweet, with a syrupy body, but the bitter-almond finish keeps it from tasting like plain sugar. At 28% it is lighter in strength than most spirits and sits comfortably between a liqueur and a cordial. Sipped neat in a small cordial glass, or over a large ice cube in a rocks glass, it works as an after-dinner pour. It goes well with biscotti, dark chocolate, espresso, or a simple plate of almond cookies. A splash in coffee takes the place of sugar and cream, and a measure over vanilla gelato makes a quick dessert. For a longer, lighter serve, pour it over ice and top it with soda water and a lemon wedge. The citrus and fizz pull back the sweetness and bring out the almond. In cocktails, Disaronno is the sweetener in several classics. The Amaretto Sour combines it with fresh lemon juice, usually with a little extra acid or a touch of bourbon to balance it, and an egg white gives the drink a silky texture. The Godfather pairs it with Scotch, equal parts or close to it, over ice. The French Connection pairs it with cognac. In each, the liqueur adds sweetness and almond aroma, so a drink often needs less sugar or syrup than the recipe would otherwise call for. Chilling the bottle isn't necessary, but serving over ice mutes the sweetness a little.