Adriatico Bianco Crushed Almonds Amaretto

Adriatico Bianco is an Italian amaretto made from Filippo Cea almonds, an aromatic variety grown in Apulia, and unlike most of the category its almond character comes from real almonds rather than apricot kernel. Founder Jean-Robert Bellanger built the recipe around peeled almonds milled into an intense white almond powder, roasted, macerated and distilled, with less cane sugar than a traditional amaretto and a pinch of Margherita di Savoia salt nodding to the Adriatic. It is bottled at a notably low 16%.

The nose is spicy with almond, coffee and vanilla, the palate balanced with almond, coffee and cocoa over a long finish, all carried on marzipan and a hint of cherry. Behind the bar its lower sugar and salt edge make it a cleaner, less cloying almond note, which lets it carry an Amaretto Sour without tipping into syrup and round out coffee drinks or a Manhattan riff. Serve it chilled as an aperitif, or reach for it when a recipe wants almond body with the sweetness pulled back.