Ingredients
Smoke-dried Chinese rhubarb root is the heart of the recipe, softened by cardamom, bitter orange and caramel. At 16% ABV it sits closer to an aperitivo than to a heavy after-dinner amaro.
- ✦Chinese rhubarb root
- ✦Cardamom
- ✦Bitter orange peel
- ✦Gentian
- ✦Caramel
- ✦Assorted herbs and spices
History of the Brand
Ettore Zucca created his rabarbaro in Milan in 1845, at the height of the Italian craze for Chinese rhubarb root as a digestive remedy.
The Caffè Zucca opened in the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II beside the Duomo and became one of the city's landmark aperitivo rooms — Verdi, Toscanini and Hemingway all drank there.
Zucca held a royal warrant from the House of Savoy and was for decades the default Milanese rhubarb aperitivo.
The brand faded from export markets in the late twentieth century and returned to the US in the 2010s alongside the wider amaro revival, now under Illva Saronno.
Tasting Characteristics
Caramel, dried rhubarb, faint smoke and a green cardamom top note.
Cola and burnt sugar, earthy rhubarb root, orange peel, mild bitterness.
Medium, softly bitter, with lingering cardamom.
Flavor meter
How to serve it
- 01The Milanese way: over ice with soda and a lemon slice.
- 02In place of Campari in a Negroni for a softer, earthier drink.
- 03Split with sweet vermouth in a Manhattan variation.
- 04Neat over one large cube after dinner.
- 05Topped with prosecco as a low-ABV spritz.
Where to Get It
Back in steady US distribution and easy to find in Italy. The tall, slim bottle with the red-and-gold label is distinctive on the shelf.
Specialty bottle shops
Usually $28–$36; look in the aperitivo section, not the amaro shelf.
Online spirits retailers
Listed as 'Rabarbaro Zucca' or 'Zucca Rabarbaro'.
Milan
Still poured at Caffè Zucca in the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II.
Affiliate buying links coming soon.
Zucca Rabarbaro FAQ
What is Rabarbaro Zucca?
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A Milanese rhubarb amaro created in 1845 by Ettore Zucca, made from smoke-dried Chinese rhubarb root with cardamom, orange and caramel, bottled at 16% ABV.
What does Zucca taste like?
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Caramel and cola sweetness over earthy rhubarb root, with orange peel, a whisper of smoke and green cardamom on the finish.
How do Italians drink Zucca?
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Traditionally over ice with soda water and a slice of lemon as an early-evening aperitivo, which is how it was served at Caffè Zucca in Milan.
Is Zucca the same as Sfumato?
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No. Both are rabarbaro amari, but Zucca is sweeter, lighter and more approachable, while Sfumato is drier and far smokier.
Can I use Zucca in a Negroni?
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Yes — swapping it for Campari gives a softer, earthier Negroni with less aggressive bitterness.