Aromatic Bitters are the cocktail bitters most recipes mean when they just say "bitters." We blend wild-crafted cinchona bark, bitter orange, chamomile, cardamom, and complementary botanicals into a small-batch bitters with real warmth and depth — meant to be used a few dashes at a time to add the missing layer to whatever you're making. Use it in an old fashioned (two dashes is standard), a Manhattan, a Sazerac, a Boulevardier, a Vieux Carré, or any classic cocktail that calls for bitters. Add a dash to dark spirits on the rocks for instant complexity. Stir a dash or two into hot chocolate for a grown-up version. Or try a dash in plain sparkling water — it's the easiest way to understand why bitters exist. Tasting Notes: warm cinchona bitterness, soft cardamom and chamomile, bittersweet orange edge, deep herbal aromatics The Short Version: A small-batch aromatic bitters made with wild-crafted cinchona bark, bitter orange, chamomile, cardamom, and complementary botanicals — the warm-spice backbone behind old fashioneds, Manhattans, and most classic cocktails. Ingredients: Alcohol, cinchona, bitter orange, chamomile, cardamom, and other herbs and spices. 40% ABV (80 proof). 3.4 oz (100mL) per bottle. Perfect For: Cocktail enthusiasts, old fashioned drinkers, classic cocktail purists, home bartenders building a proper bar, mocktail makers, and anyone tired of using watery commercial bitters. Best Enjoyed In: Old fashioneds (2 dashes), Manhattans (2 dashes), Sazeracs, Boulevardiers, dark spirits on the rocks (1 dash), or a dash in sparkling water for a non-alcoholic bittered drink. The Portland Syrups Promise: Ethically sourced, carefully brewed, and bottled in glass jars right here in SE Portland, Oregon. Frequently Asked Questions Q: How long do bitters last? A: Effectively indefinitely. Because bitters are 40% alcohol (80 proof), they're naturally self-preserving and don't need refrigeration. A bottle can sit on your bar shelf for years without spoiling. The aromatics may slowly fade over time, but the bitters remain usable well past any "best by" date. Most home bar owners use a bottle of bitters for years. Q: How does this compare to Angostura or Peychaud's? A: They're built around the same idea — alcohol-based extracts of herbs, spices, and barks designed to add aromatic complexity to cocktails — but with different flavor profiles. Angostura leans heavier on clove and warming spice; Peychaud's is sweeter with anise notes; ours sits in the middle with cinchona bark for backbone, cardamom for warmth, chamomile for softness, and bitter orange for a citrus lift. Most cocktail recipes that call for "bitters" or "aromatic bitters" work beautifully with ours, often with more flavor per dash than mass-market alternatives. Q: What's the difference between Aromatic and Orange Bitters? A: Different aromatic profiles for different cocktails. Aromatic Bitters lead with warm spices — cinchona, chamomile, cardamom — and are the call for traditional old fashioneds, Manhattans, Sazeracs, and most cocktails that just say "bitters" in the recipe. Orange Bitters lead with citrus — orange peel, bitter orange, with gentian for bitterness — and are the classic call for gin martinis, Wisconsin old fashioneds, and citrus-leaning cocktails. Most serious home bars have both.
