Adriatico Roasted Almonds Amaretto

Adriatico Roasted Almonds is an Italian amaretto made from Filippo Cea almonds grown in Apulia, with its almond character drawn from real almonds rather than apricot kernel. The recipe by founder Jean-Robert Bellanger roasts the almonds slowly in the oven before maceration and distillation, uses less cane sugar than a traditional amaretto and adds a pinch of Margherita di Savoia salt as a link to the Adriatic. This roasted expression is bottled at 28%, fuller than its Bianco sibling.

The roasting shows in the glass, a spicy nose of almond, coffee, cinnamon and cocoa leading to a palate of almond, coffee and cinnamon over a long finish, with marzipan and cherry beneath. Behind the bar it brings a deep, toasted almond backbone with real body, which carries an Amaretto Sour, turns a Scotch into a Godfather and a Cognac into a French Connection, and rounds out coffee or a stirred whisky drink. Serve it chilled as an aperitif, or use it wherever almond depth and a roasted edge are wanted.