It has taken a good while, but it finally feels like the average American spirits consumer is building an awareness of what amaro represents, and why one should keep an array of amaro brands in a home bar. This awareness has no doubt been helped along greatly by the subcategory we tend to refer to as “Italian red bitter liqueurs,” most famously crystalized in the form of the bitterly robust Campari. In reality, though, it’s less Campari–though people love their negronis, for certain–and more Aperol that has likely led to this breakthrough on a mass scale. The success of the Aperol Spritz in recent years as a marketing tool has led many consumers down the path to discovering other bitter-forward amari, even as it has led to an evolution of the Italian aperitivo genre that Aperol globally represents. A flood of new aperitivo have hit shelves in recent years, looking to dethrone the category leader, and the latest is particularly intriguing: Amante 1530.
Amante 1530 is a new brand from a group of investors that include actor-singer Sting and and Trudie Styler, who met “at the couple’s Tuscan estate, Il Palagio, where they discussed the idea of creating a modern and innovative Amaro that they could enjoy together.” The eventual result was Amante 1530, “an authentic, versatile Italian aperitivo that breaks boundaries.” The product was designed by oenologist Riccardo Cotarella, with an eye toward capturing a profile “that can be consumed in a spritz, cocktail, neat or on the rocks” with equal ease. Essentially, they wanted to create a more balanced and versatile twist on the classical Italian bitter aperitivo, and after tasting Amante 1530 I’ve come to the conclusion that they did a pretty admirable job of it. As the company notes: “With less sugar and a more subtle bitter finish than other aperitivos, Amante 1530 offers the perfect amount of sweetness — making it ideal for enjoying in cocktails or sipping straight.”
In terms of alcoholic strength, Amante 1530 weighs in at 15% ABV (30 proof), placing it slightly above the 11% ABV of Aperol and well below the 24% ABV of Campari sold in the U.S.A. As the back label’s recipe for a spritz makes clear, it’s Aperol that the brand is truly aiming at, so I decided to taste the ubiquitous aperitivo against Amante 1530 to see how the two would compare. So with that said, let’s get to it. Amante is launching in New York first, with California and Florida soon to follow.
On the nose, Amante 1530 displays the bright citrus aromatics you’re expecting for the category, with fresh elements of lemon and orange, although in comparison with Aperol there’s a slightly less candied aspect to them. These aromatics are met by significant floral notes, rosemary and something evoking the lime flavor of Trix cereal. There’s a potpourri-like quality of mixed, dried florals that makes Amante distinct.