Ingredients
A Sicilian recipe built on citrus grown in the volcanic soil around Etna — bitter and sweet orange peel — layered with mountain herbs, roots and a soft caramel sweetness typical of the island's amari.
- ✦Sicilian bitter orange peel
- ✦Sweet orange peel
- ✦Gentian root
- ✦Rhubarb root
- ✦Mint
- ✦Aniseed
- ✦Caramel
History of the Brand
Distilleria Russo was founded in Santa Venerina in 1885, a village built on the lava terraces of Mount Etna where citrus and vines grow in black volcanic soil.
Amaro dell'Etna became the house's signature bottle, sold first to locals as a digestivo and later across Sicily as a symbol of the mountain itself.
The distillery survived earthquakes and eruptions that repeatedly damaged the town, rebuilding each time on the same site.
Today it remains family-run, and the amaro is still poured in Catania bars as the default after-dinner pour.
Tasting Characteristics
Candied orange, mint leaf, faint aniseed.
Sweet orange and caramel up front, then gentian and a cooling mint-anise thread.
Medium, warm, lightly bitter.
Flavor meter
How to serve it
- 01Chilled, neat, straight from the freezer as Sicilians drink it.
- 02Over ice with a thick orange slice.
- 03Topped with soda for an easy afternoon highball.
- 04Splashed into espresso as a caffè corretto.
- 05In a Black Manhattan for a citrus-led version.
Where to Get It
Widely available across Sicily and increasingly stocked by Italian specialty importers in the US and UK.
Italian specialty shops
Look under Sicilian liqueurs, usually $25–$34.
Online spirits retailers
Search 'Amaro dell'Etna Russo'.
Sicily
Sold in every alimentari and bar around Catania and Taormina.
Affiliate buying links coming soon.
Amaro dell'Etna FAQ
What is Amaro dell'Etna?
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A Sicilian herbal amaro produced by Distilleria Russo in Santa Venerina since 1885, made with citrus and herbs from the slopes of Mount Etna and bottled at 29% ABV.
What does Amaro dell'Etna taste like?
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Sweet orange and caramel up front, followed by gentian bitterness and a cooling mint and anise note.
How do Sicilians drink it?
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Ice cold, neat, often straight from the freezer after a meal.
Is Amaro dell'Etna very bitter?
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No. It sits on the sweeter, citrus-driven side of the amaro spectrum, making it an easy introduction.