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Amaretto, which translates to “a little bitter,” is an Italian liqueur with a distinct almond flavor. It’s made from apricot or peach pits, almonds or a combination of all three. Flavored with extracts that are added during production, it’s also enhanced with sweetening agents like caramelized sugar, which further deepen its amber hue.
Sometimes overlooked as overly saccharine, the best and most complex amarettos have a measured sweetness tempered by botanicals or spices. Today, it’s produced in countries like the U.S., Portugal and Italy. Want to learn more? Here’s everything you need to know about amaretto.
While this liquor can be served alone, it’s also fabulous on the rocks, in baked goods or, perhaps most famously, in cocktails. In that department, it’s perhaps best known as a key ingredient in an amaretto sour, which marries amaretto with a heady blend of bourbon, lemon juice, simple syrup and a beaten egg white.
Need a bottle of amaretto for your bar cart? We can vouch for any of the following seven, which have been handpicked by our Tasting Department.
The Best Amaretto Liqueurs
Saliza Amaretto (Italy)
92 Points Wine Enthusiast
Distilled from almonds, not just flavored, this tawny liqueur offers bold, sweet almond and marzipan flavors without becoming too heavy or cloying, braced up by a sprinkle of cinnamon on the finish. Ideal as a dessert pairing, or for use in sweetening cocktails or baked goods.—Kara Newman
Luxardo Amaretto di Saschira (Italy)
91 Points Wine Enthusiast
This is a deeper, darker take on amaretto. Look for a bold marzipan scent and rich toffee, brown sugar and almond extract on the viscous palate. Hints of baking spice and burnt orange peel shore up the finish. Sip or mix; the producer suggests mixing with champagne. Best Buy—K.N.
Knight Gabriello Amaretto di Toscana (Italy)
92 Points Wine Enthusiast
This liqueur actually tastes like almonds, not cloying almond extract. It pours thick and viscous, with a nutty but not overly sweet flavor, plus a honeyed note on the spiced exit. Sip or mix, or use for baking. Best Buy—K.N.
Bols Amaretto Liqueur (Kentucky, U.S.)
90 Points Wine Enthusiast
Burnished copper in the glass, this liqueur has a sweet almond extract aroma. On the palate, it’s sweet and mouth-coating, showing almond extract mixed with vanilla and caramel, fading into a warming, ginger-y finish. Some will find it a bit sweet to sip straight up, but should be a versatile mixer for a wide range of cocktails. Best Buy—K.N.
Algarvinha Licor Almond Liqueur (Portugal)
87 Points Wine Enthusiast
Light straw in the glass, look for bold, sweet almond-like aroma and flavor reminiscent of amaretto or marzipan candy. Compared to most liqueurs, this one is surprisingly light on the palate. —K.N.
Disaronno Original
87 Points Wine Enthusiast
Many will recognize the square dimpled bottle on the back bar right away. The amber liquid inside the bottle is distinctive too, with its sweet amaretto-cookie aroma and thin, almond extract flavor, touched with vanilla and orange. It’s a classic for amaretto sours or lacing coffee. —K.N.
Di Antonio Amaretto Liqueur
89 Points Wine Enthusiast
This deep amber liqueur has a mild, sweet almond extract scent, which is echoed on the palate, plus a flicker of cinnamon on the exit. Mix into Amaretto Sours and other cocktails. —K.N.
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All products featured here are independently selected by our team, which is comprised of experienced writers and wine tasters and overseen by editorial professionals at Wine Enthusiast headquarters. All ratings and reviews are performed blind in a controlled setting and reflect the parameters of our 100-point scale. Wine Enthusiast does not accept payment to conduct any product review, though we may earn a commission on purchases made through links on this site. Prices were accurate at the time of publication.
