Amaretto

Amaretto (Italian for "a little bitter") is a sweet, almond-flavoured, Italian liqueur associated with Saronno, Italy. Various commercial brands are made from a base of apricot pits, almonds, or both.

Amaretto serves a variety of culinary uses, can be drunk by itself, and is added to other beverages to create several popular mixed drinks, as well as to coffee.

The name amaretto originated as a diminutive of the Italian word amaro, meaning "bitter", which references the distinctive flavour lent by the mandorla amara (the bitter almond) or by the drupe kernel. However, the bitterness is not unpalatable, and sweeteners—and sometimes sweet almonds—enhance the flavour in the final products. Thus one can interpret the liqueur's name as a description of the taste as "a little bitter".

Conflation of amaro ("bitter") and amore ("love") has led to associations with romance.

One should not confuse amaretto with amaro, a different family of Italian liqueurs that, while also sweetened, have a stronger bitter flavour deriving from herbs.

Despite the known history on the introduction and acceptance of almonds into Italian cuisine, newer takes on the meanings and origins have been popularized by the two major brands. Though of sometimes questionable factuality, these tales hold a sentimental place in Saronno culture:

Disaronno Originale (28% abv) has a characteristic bittersweet almond taste (although it contains no almonds or nuts) and is known for its distinctive appearance. Disaronno has been in commercial production since about 1900. It claims its "originale" amaretto's "secret formula" is unchanged from 1525, and claims the Luini tale as its own particular history. Its production remains in Saronno, but the product is sold worldwide.

The company describes its amaretto as an infusion of "apricot kernel oil" with "absolute alcohol, burnt sugar, and the pure essence of seventeen selected herbs and fruits". The amber liqueur is presented in a rectangular glass decanter designed by a craftsman from Murano.

...
Wikipedia