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.
In the glass, there’s certainly no mistaking Amante 1530 for Aperol, as the two look quite different. Aperol of course has a neon, hot pink hue to it that can’t help but look somewhat artificial–it’s like the pink of hibiscus on steroids. Amante, on the other hand, has more of a sunny orange tone with pinkish highlights, looking more like the color of orange natural wine. Side by side, you can’t help but note that the color looks less like something that came out of a bottle.
On the palate, Amante 1530 is significantly more balanced, as is the stated goal. Candied citrus peel and mildly juicy tones are met by moderate herbal bitterness and flashes of ginger and florals. The residual sweetness is notably lower, and the texture is also thinner and significantly less syrupy than Aperol’s despite the somewhat higher proof point. Bitterness feels a bit more firm than Aperol, though it is difficult to say if it’s genuinely more assertively bitter, or if it just reads that way because the saccharine sweetness has been toned down. Regardless, the more balanced profile makes this much easier (and more pleasant) for neat drinking in particular. I find Aperol far too sweet to drink on its own, but I think Amante 1530 over ice would be pretty pelasant.
As for using in cocktails, the lower level of sweetness in Amante 1530 might require some ratios to be rejiggered in order to hit levels of sweetness that are desired, but its overall citrus flavor profile is excellent. I look forward to employing this in other classic cocktails such as the Paper Plane in the future.
Distillery: Amante 1530
Region: Italy
Style: Italian red bitter liqueur
ABV: 15% (30 proof)
Availability: 750 ml bottles, $35 MSRP
Jim Vorel is a Paste staff writer and resident craft beer and spirits geek. You can follow him on Twitter for more drink writing.