Amaro Sfumato Rabarbaro. This is a bittersweet liqueur that is smoky and earthy. Though Cappelletti is perhaps best known for their red-orange aperitivo, the family-run Italian company has quite the varied amaro portfolio! Amaro are bittersweet liqueurs frequently imbibed to help with digestion post-meals, and “Rabarbaro” is a particular sub-style of amaro (with Zucca and Sfumato being the most popular)

Amaro Sfumato Rabarbaro literally translates to “smoky rhubarb bitter,” as its primary bittering ingredient is the Chinese rhubarb. Chinese rhubarb root naturally has a smoky flavor due to its chemical composition, but Sfumato ups the amp by further smoking it.

Unlike the culinary rhubarb stalks that lovingly go into pies or beautifully adorn your cocktail in ribbons, the Chinese rhubarb is a different sub-species, and it’s the roots (not that stalks) that are traditionally used for medicinal purposes both in Asia and in Europe (originally brought by trade via the Silk Route in the medieval age). Thus, this does not taste like the rhubarb people may be used to, and its flavor is really unrivaled with no good comparisons in the world of amaro.

I’ve been absolutely loving pairing this with mezcal and dark jammy cherries and it’s just so great to add a dark twisty earthy edge to cocktails! For cocktail recipe ideas, check these out!