Ingredients
A Moscato wine base — not neutral spirit — infused with cardoon (the same thistle family as Cynar's artichoke) and blessed thistle, then rested six months in oak. The wine base keeps it low in alcohol and unusually food-friendly.
- ✦Cardoon (Cynara cardunculus)
- ✦Blessed thistle
- ✦Moscato wine base
- ✦Assorted Piedmontese herbs
History of the Brand
Bosca has made wine in Canelli, the heart of Moscato country, since 1831, and began producing Cardamaro in 1911.
The name joins cardo (thistle) and amaro, describing the recipe exactly.
Because it is wine-based rather than spirit-based, Cardamaro is technically classed as an aromatised wine, much like vermouth.
It became a bartender favourite in the US in the 2010s as a low-proof modifier that adds savoury depth without much bitterness — and as a natural companion to Cynar, whose artichoke belongs to the same botanical family.
Tasting Characteristics
Toasted nuts, caramel, dried apricot and a vegetal edge.
Sherry-like nuttiness, honey and vanilla from the oak, gentle thistle bitterness.
Medium, warm, faintly savoury.
Flavor meter
How to serve it
- 01Chilled over ice with an orange twist before dinner.
- 02In place of sweet vermouth in a Manhattan or Boulevardier.
- 03With soda as a very low-ABV highball.
- 04Alongside Cynar in a split-modifier stirred drink.
- 05Neat with cheese and nuts.
Where to Get It
Widely available in the US and reasonably priced. Refrigerate after opening — it is wine-based and will oxidise like vermouth.
Specialty bottle shops
Often shelved with vermouth rather than amaro.
Online spirits retailers
Usually $25–$32 for 750ml.
Italy
Sold across Piedmont; Bosca's cellars in Canelli are a UNESCO site.
Affiliate buying links coming soon.
Cardamaro FAQ
What is Cardamaro?
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A wine-based Italian amaro made by Bosca in Canelli since 1911, infused with cardoon and blessed thistle, aged six months in oak and bottled at 17% ABV.
What does Cardamaro taste like?
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Nutty and sherry-like, with caramel, dried apricot, honey and vanilla, and only a soft savoury bitterness.
Does Cardamaro need refrigeration?
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Yes. It is wine-based, so refrigerate after opening and drink it within a couple of months.
How is Cardamaro related to Cynar?
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Both are built on plants in the Cynara genus — Cynar uses artichoke, Cardamaro uses cardoon — which gives them a shared savoury, vegetal backbone.
Can Cardamaro replace sweet vermouth?
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Yes, and it is one of the best swaps. Use it one-for-one in a Manhattan or Boulevardier for a nuttier, drier drink.