
Amaro Nonino Quintessentia is a grappa-based Italian amaro, a bittersweet herbal liqueur aged in barrels.
Grappa base and a light hand with the bitterness — it is one of the gentlest in the category. A more bitter bottle needs both less volume and a little syrup to sit where this one sat.
Denser, sweeter and noticeably more bitter; pour about a third less, or the drink goes into caramel bitterness.
The base without the bitterness and without the sugar. It gives the same grape-and-barrel note, and the bitterness and sweetness have to be built back with bitters and syrup.