Lucano and Chinotto — Basilicata amaro lengthened with Italy's own bitter-orange soda

Lucano and Chinotto

Basilicata amaro lengthened with Italy's own bitter-orange soda

Number of people

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 ozAmaro Lucano
    The bitter half, and the one carrying the herbs
    Substitute: Another mid-weight herbal amaro
  • 3 1/2 ozChinotto
    The Italian bitter-orange soda, well chilled
    Substitute: Cola, though it loses the bitter orange

Instructions

  1. Fill a highball glass with ice
  2. Add 1 1/2 oz Amaro Lucano
  3. Top with 3 1/2 oz cold chinotto and stir once

    Chinotto is barely carbonated; there is no fizz to protect

  4. Garnish with a slice of lime and a sprig of mint

Technique Notes

Build it in the glass, ice first. Chinotto is only lightly carbonated to begin with, so there is no fizz to protect and nothing gained by layering; the point is that both halves are bitter and they should meet immediately.

Why the Lucano and Chinotto Works

Two bitter oranges meeting from opposite directions. Lucano carries bitter orange among its herbs and chinotto is nothing but bitter orange, so the soda does not dilute the amaro so much as agree with it and make the herbs behind it audible.