Nonna Said “Non toccare!”

Amaro Averna. The love we have built for you started in our Nonna’s liquor cabinet, but your history goes all the way back to 19th century Sicily, and likely was in the works for some time before that. Much like another beloved spirit, Chartreuse, Averna was assembled from a secret recipe given to the Benedictine monks of Abbazia Di Santo Spirito. In 1868 the recipe was gifted by the monk Frá Girolamo to a textile merchant named Salvatore Averna as a gift. Salvatore Averna was very active in the local community, and the gift was that of gratitude for everything he had done. 

He started out making it for his guests, and eventually the recipe was passed down to his son, Francesco, who spread the word at fairs in Italy and then beyond. 

In 1895 King Umberto I gave the gift of the golden brooch with the Savoy House emblem to Francesco. In 1912 Vittorio Emmanuele III gave Averna the right to print the royal coat of arms. Inscripted upon it: “Royal Household Patent.”

Between both world wars, Anna Marie Averna (Francesco’s Wifey) along with her children beat the pavement in order to continue expanding the brand, and eventually hitting American soil. 1958 marks the incorporation of Fratelli Averna S.p.a.

Fast forward 36 years, in 2014 Gruppo Campari bought out Fratelli Averna, which strengthened its worldwide presence.

So what does it taste like? The mediteranian herbs provide a beautiful sweet and bitter contrast. Anyone with an affinity for liquorice will be an automatic candidate for fandom of Averna. The amari also embodies notes of juniper berries, sage, rosemary, and orange.