The Most Collected Liqueurs From Last Week

Campari was created circa 1860 by a Lombardy-born man named Gaspare Campari. He worked his way up to barman in a cafe in Torino before moving to Milano where he created his renowned bitter concoction. His namesake bitters was first known as Bitter all’usa d’Holanda and its ingredients have never been disclosed other than to say that “it is the result of an infusion of bitter herbs, aromatic plants, and fruit in alcohol and water”. The only other change to the original recipe occured in 2006 when carmine (a natural dye sourced from crushed cochineal insects) ceased to be used for coloring. Now artificial colors are used.

Aperol first debuted a century ago, in 1919. Known for its orange hue, and today for the ubiquitous and eponymous Aperol Spritz, Aperol is flavored with ingredients including cinchona, rhubarb, and gentian. The bittersweet liqueur has been a part of the Campari portfolio since 2003.

The main ingredient used for this amari is the root of Chinese rabarbaro (rhubarb) which is grown in Trentino-Alto Adige and Veneto. "Sfumato" is Italian for "smoke" which is fitting as Chinese rabarbaro gives off a smoky quality. All production of this amaro is made in house by Luigi & Maddalena Cappelletti, the fourth generation of this distilling family which makes other amari and aromatized wines.

Amaro Montenegro is made with 40 botanicals using three processes: boiling, maceration, and distillation. Some of these botanicals include: sweet & bitter oranges, petite dried oranges, coriander seeds, marjoram, oregano, artemista blend, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. After this process, 12 mother extracts are crafted. From there, the 12 extracts are blended to form "six aromatic notes" which are blended with alcohol, sugar, and water. Lastly, a seventh ingredient called the "premio" or "prize" is crafted from 5 botanicals which are micro-distilled. One liter of "premio" is used per 15,000 bottles. Amaro Montenegro was created by Stanislao Cobianchi who had traveled the world rather than follow his family's desire for him to join the clergy. He founded his company in 1885 and named it after Princess Elena of Montenegro who went on to become Queen of Italy in 1900.

The recipe for Zucca Rabarbaro dates back to 1845 when a doctor prescribed rhubarb and medicinal herbs to Tilde Zucca to aid her digestion. Her husband Ettore decided to add alcohol to the concoction. It became quite popular in cafes as an aperitif in Milan among other European cities. In the early 1900s, a descendant of Ettore, Carlo, established the Zucca Company to bring the product to shelves. Rabarbaro is Italian for "rhubarb" and is the only disclosed ingredient by the brand. The rhubarb root is sourced from the Gansu province in China. Note: In Spring 2016, this product got an updated label and recipe upping the proof from 30 to 60.

Pronounced chee-nar, this Italian digestivo first hit the Italian market in the 1950s. Cynar was founded by Venetian entrepreneur Angelo Valle Molle and is distilled from a blend of 13 herbs, as well as artichoke leaves—the star ingredient from which the amaro gets its name. The unique moniker, which often stumps drinkers, comes from cynarin, a property found in artichokes, and likely also for the vegetable’s botanical name, Cynara scolymus. It is bottled at 16.5% ABV.

Chambord Liqueur is a black raspberry liqueur. It is made from an infusion of raspberries and blackberries. Other ingredients include Madagascar vanilla, Moroccan citrus peel, honey, and XO cognac which the master blender balances all together to create a concentrate. Although this French liqueur is based on a recipe from the late 17th century, it wasn't released commercially until 1981. Bottled at 16.5% ABV.

An essential ingredient in a handful of classic cocktail, including the Rusty Nail, Drambuie -- a Scotch whisky liqueur -- is flavored with spices, herbs and heather honey. The company dates its origins to the mid-1700s, when it was supposedly created for Bonnie Prince Charlie by his Royal Apothecary. In 2014, William Grant & Sons acquired the brand, which is still blended in Glasgow, Scotland. Its name is derived from the Scots Gaelic term ‘An Dram Buidheach,’ meaning “The Drink that Satisfies.”

Grand Marnier is an orange liqueur made from a blend of cognac (51%) and bitter orange distillate (49%). To make this distillate, the bitter orange variety citrus Bigaradia is harvested and the peels are sun-dried. The peels then macerate in neutral alcohol for ~10 days before it is distilled. This bitter orange distillate is then blended with cognac and further aged in large oak vats for 1-6 months. Originally named Curaçao Marnier when created in 1880 by founder Louis-Alexandre Marnier Lapostolle, it was soon changed to Grand Marnier after friends declared it to be grand. Also called Grand Marnier Cordon Rouge or simply GrandMa by those in the bar industry.

The base of this Rock & Rye is a blend of straight rye whiskies, varying in their age. There's a variety of traditional and modern flavorings, including citrus peels, rock candy, horehound, and raw honey. It is bottled at 84 proof.