Ingredients
Twenty-nine herbs, flowers, roots and fruits from Calabria and the surrounding Mediterranean, infused into neutral spirit and sweetened. Bitter orange, mandarin, licorice, juniper, chamomile and mint are the flavors that carry, with the local citrus giving it a brighter, sweeter profile than northern amari. Caffo also produces a chili-infused Amaro del Capo Red Hot Edition.
- ✦Bitter orange peel
- ✦Mandarin peel
- ✦Licorice root
- ✦Juniper
- ✦Chamomile
- ✦Mint
- ✦Fennel
- ✦Aniseed
- ✦Gentian
- ✦Bergamot
- ✦Chinotto
- ✦Sage
History of the Brand
The Caffo family have been distilling in Calabria since 1915, when Giuseppe Caffo — who had learned the trade in Sicily — set up in Santa Venerina and later moved the operation to Limbadi in the province of Vibo Valentia.
Vecchio Amaro del Capo takes its name from Capo Vaticano, the promontory on Calabria's Tyrrhenian coast. The recipe draws on the Mediterranean flora growing along it — citrus above all, which is Calabria's signature crop.
The freezer serve is the brand's real innovation: it built a national identity around pouring the amaro at around -20°C, when the liqueur turns viscous and the sweetness recedes. It is now standard practice in bars across Italy.
The bottle became one of Italy's best-selling amari in the 2010s, and the Red Hot Edition, infused with Calabrian chili, gave it a second life on cocktail menus.
Tasting Characteristics
Mandarin and orange peel, licorice and anise, chamomile and a cool minty note.
Sweet and syrupy at room temperature, with candied citrus, licorice, herbal tea and a soft gentian bitterness that never dominates.
Medium, sweet-herbal and cooling, cleaner and shorter when served frozen.
Flavor meter
How to serve it
- 01Straight from the freezer in a frosted shot glass — the way Calabria drinks it.
- 02Neat at room temperature if you want to taste the botanicals properly.
- 03With tonic and an orange slice as a long aperitivo.
- 04In an amaro spritz, where its citrus works well with prosecco.
- 05The Red Hot Edition over ice with soda, for a chili-warmed highball.
Where to Get It
Very widely distributed in Italy and increasingly common abroad, usually at a moderate price. Look for the distinctive squat bottle with the yellow-and-red label.
Local bottle shops
Common in shops with a real Italian section — $25–$32 for a 750ml.
Online spirits retailers
Broadly listed, often alongside the Red Hot Edition and Caffo's grappas.
Italian restaurants
Frequently the freezer bottle brought to the table at the end of the meal.
Affiliate buying links coming soon.
Vecchio Amaro del Capo FAQ
What is Vecchio Amaro del Capo?
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A Calabrian amaro made by Distilleria Caffo in Limbadi from 29 herbs, flowers, roots and fruits, bottled at 35% ABV. It is named after Capo Vaticano on Calabria's Tyrrhenian coast.
What does Amaro del Capo taste like?
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Sweeter and more citrus-driven than northern amari: mandarin and orange peel, licorice, anise, chamomile and mint, with only mild bitterness on the finish.
Why is Amaro del Capo served frozen?
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The brand built its identity on pouring it at around -20°C. Freezing thickens the texture and mutes the sweetness, which makes it crisper and easier to drink in a group at the end of a meal.
What is Amaro del Capo Red Hot Edition?
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The same amaro infused with Calabrian chili peppers, giving a warming, spicy finish. It works especially well in long drinks with soda or tonic.
Is Amaro del Capo good for beginners?
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Yes. Along with Montenegro and Averna it is one of the easiest entry points to the category, since its sweetness and citrus keep the bitterness in the background.