Angostura Aromatic Bitter

Angostura Aromatic Bitters is a concentrated, 44.7% ABV bitters made in Trinidad. It isn't a drink in its own right. It's a seasoning for drinks, and it's used in dashes, not pours. The profile is heavily spiced and herbal, with a bitter backbone. Bitters in this style usually lean on gentian, warm baking spices, and a touch of citrus peel. The producer keeps the exact formula private, so treat those notes as typical of the category and not as a published ingredient list. The bottle is known for its oversized paper wrapper and yellow cap. Its flavor is dry and has almost no sweetness. The purpose of a few drops is to add depth and balance to sugar and spirit. The Old Fashioned is the clearest use. Two or three dashes over a sugar cube or a teaspoon of syrup, then bourbon or rye and a large ice cube, give you the classic version. The same measure works in a Manhattan, where the bitters tie the sweet vermouth to the whiskey. In a Champagne cocktail, a sugar cube soaked in bitters gives the wine a spiced, slightly bitter edge. Trinidad's rum-drinking tradition makes the Rum Old Fashioned a natural pairing, and the Pink Gin is the old naval serve: swirl a few dashes around a chilled glass, pour out the excess, then add gin. Bitters also work in sours, where a few drops dashed over the foam of a Whiskey Sour or Pisco Sour add aroma as well as flavor. You can also use it outside of cocktails. Add four or five dashes to a tall glass of soda water with a lime wedge and ice for a dry, low-sweetness drink with no spirit base other than the bitters themselves. A few drops in ginger beer or ginger ale add a spicier note. Cooks sometimes add a dash to baked fruit, cranberry sauces, or chocolate desserts to bring out the spice. Use a dasher bottle or a steady hand, since the flavor is strong and a heavy pour will dominate the glass. Start with two dashes in a short drink and adjust from there. There's no need to chill or refrigerate it, and a cool, dark cupboard is fine for storage. It keeps well for a long time because of the alcohol content, so one bottle usually lasts through many drinks.