Averna Amaro Siciliano, Italy (29%, 70cl)

The story begins in 1868 Caltanissetta, when Benedictine monks entrusted Salvatore Averna with their centuries-old herbal recipe - a sacred alchemy of Sicilian sun and soil. Today, this 29% ABV amaro remains the island's most beloved digestif, its deep mahogany hue concealing a symphony of local botanicals: pomegranate's tart sweetness, myrtle berries' forest aroma, and bitter oranges plucked from eastern slopes of Mount Etna. The exact formula remains locked in the Averna family vault, though each sip reveals new layers of its 150-year heritage.

Bring the glass to your nose and inhale Sicily in liquid form - fig jam simmering with vanilla pods, sun-dried rosemary, and aged tobacco leaves from the countryside near Agrigento. The first taste coats the tongue with caramelized dates, then gradually unfolds quinine's clean bitterness and gentian root's earthy depth, finishing with a whisper of burnt orange peel that lingers like the island's long summer twilights.

In Palermo's historic cafés, they serve it unchilled after dinner, allowing the complex botanicals to unfold slowly. Modern mixologists have discovered its magic in Black Manhattans, where its herbal richness perfectly complements rye whiskey's spice. For an evening aperitivo, try it with tonic and orange zest - the effervescence lifting its darker notes into something refreshingly light.

The handcrafted bottle, adorned with the family crest and Sicilian motifs, contains not just spirits but generations of passion - each batch still produced following Salvatore's original copper-pot methods. Whether enjoyed as your grandfather did or in contemporary cocktails, Averna remains Sicily's gift to the world.

Available at our Copenhagen store or for EU-wide delivery.