
You could be forgiven for thinking that Cardamaro was a cardamom amaro. (Confession… we're the experts here, and we thought so until quite recently.) I mean, if you were naming Italian liqueurs, that's what Cardamaro would mean, right?
But the truth is something more interesting. Cardamaro is a wine-based aperitif, infused with cardoon and blessed thistle (two artichoke relatives), then aged in oak. The result has the richness and weight of sweet vermouth, and only a gentle herbal bitterness. It really tastes like a lighter, more drinkable version of artichoke-based Cynar—and that's a delicious thing indeed.
We're fans of sipping Cardamaro straight or on the rocks, but it might be even better incorporated into cocktails.
-- foodnadwine.com