Amaretto Di Saronno

Amaretto is a sweet Italian liquer with a distinctive almond flavor. It is typically made from apricot pits and/or almonds. The name comes from the Italian word amaro or “bitter”, which in its own right is a style of herbal liquers.

Legend dates amaretto to the 16th century, with a tale involving the artist Bernardino Luini (who had been a pupil of Leonardo da Vinci). Commissioned to create frescoes for a church sanctuary in Saronno, he found his model for the Virgin Mary in a widowed innkeeper in the town. Whether they became lovers or not is subject to speculation, but desiring to present Luini with a gift she steeped apricot kernels in brandy…hence amaretto was created.

This, at least, is the story held fast to by Disaronno Originale, or Amaretto Disaronno. Their amaretto in fact contains no almonds, unlike other brands. It has been in production since the early 1900s and claims its secret recipe dates all the way back to 1525 and the Luini story.