Rieger's Caffè Amaro 750ML is a botanically driven coffee amaro from Kansas City's J. Rieger & Co., bottled at 31% ABV (62 proof). It earned 92 points from the Ultimate Spirits Challenge in 2023, affirming its place among the most compelling American-made amari on the market.Quick Facts: ABV: 31% | Origin: Kansas City, Missouri, USA | Style: Coffee Amaro | Distillery: J. Rieger & Co.Production & HeritageJ. Rieger & Co. traces its Kansas City roots back to 1887, when Jacob Rieger founded one of the largest mail-order whiskey operations in the Midwest. Revived in 2014, the modern distillery has built a reputation for ambitious, category-blurring spirits. Caffè Amaro begins with a corn spirit base steeped with botanicals including juniper berries, anise, cardamom, orange peel, spearmint, and vanilla. Single-origin coffee from Kansas City's Thou Mayest Coffee Roasters is blended in, and the liquid undergoes brief aging in used whiskey barrels. The production process involves no fewer than 10 separate transfers between different tanks and barrels — a painstaking, multi-vessel method that the head distiller has described as extraordinarily labor-intensive but essential to the final product's layered complexity.Tasting NotesAroma: Fruit-forward roasted coffee leads, followed by oak and a wave of gentian, rhubarb, and anise. Licorice, menthol, and citrus peel round out a nose that telegraphs the bitter complexity ahead.Taste: The entry is starkly bitter, anchored by gentian and anise, before single-origin coffee emerges with vanilla and bittersweet chocolate. As the mid-palate develops, minty herbal notes weave through earthy, pine-like undertones, creating a dense and shifting flavor profile that rewards attention.Finish: Long and enduringly bitter, almost Fernet-like in its intensity, with black coffee, hints of tar, and very dark chocolate lingering well after the sip. The bitterness resolves slowly, leaving a dry, roasted impression on the palate.How to Drink Caffè AmaroStraight from the freezer or served neat at room temperature both work well — the temperature changes how prominently the coffee or herbal elements read. On the rocks, the bitterness softens slightly and the vanilla and chocolate notes become more approachable. Three cocktails where this amaro earns its place: a Black Manhattan, where it can replace sweet vermouth and add roasted depth alongside rye whiskey; an Espresso Martini, where its botanical bitterness replaces the need for both coffee liqueur and a separate amaro; and a Paper Plane riff, subbing in for Amaro Nonino to introduce coffee and dark chocolate to the citrus framework.Best For Home bartenders building a serious amaro collection After-dinner digestif service at a dinner party Gifting a cocktail enthusiast who already has the usual suspects on their shelf Coffee lovers exploring the bitter, herbal side of spirits Frequently Asked QuestionsWhat does Caffè Amaro taste like? Rieger's Caffè Amaro leads with aggressive, gentian-driven bitterness and anise, then opens into roasted single-origin coffee, bittersweet chocolate, and vanilla. The finish is long and Fernet-like, with dark chocolate and tar-like intensity.How does Caffè Amaro compare to Kahlúa? While both feature coffee prominently, Rieger's Caffè Amaro is an amaro — bitter, herbal, and dry — rather than a sweet coffee liqueur like Kahlúa. At 31% ABV versus Kahlúa's 20%, it also carries significantly more proof and botanical complexity.Is Caffè Amaro good for sipping neat? Yes, its layered bitterness and roasted coffee depth make it a compelling neat pour, particularly as an after-dinner digestif. Those who enjoy Fernet-Branca or other intensely bitter amari will find this right in their wheelhouse.Where is Caffè Amaro made? Rieger's Caffè Amaro is produced at the J. Rieger & Co. distillery in Kansas City, Missouri, using single-origin coffee sourced from the local Thou Mayest Coffee Roasters.What foods pair well with Caffè Amaro? Dark chocolate truffles complement the amaro's bittersweet cocoa notes. Tiramisu mirrors its coffee and vanilla character. Aged hard cheeses like Parmigiano-Reggiano stand up to the bitterness. Grilled lamb with herb crust echoes the botanical and earthy elements. Candied orange peel connects to the citrus aromatics on the nose.What sizes does Caffè Amaro come in? Rieger's Caffè Amaro is available in the standard 750ml bottle.Is Caffè Amaro worth the price? Caffè Amaro positions as a premium craft amaro, reflecting its multi-vessel production process, single-origin coffee sourcing, and whiskey-barrel aging. For the complexity and labor involved, it sits competitively within the American craft amaro category.Why Caffè Amaro?The 10-transfer production process alone sets Rieger's Caffè Amaro apart from nearly every other product in the American amaro space — most producers simply macerate and bottle. That 92-point score from the Ultimate Spirits Challenge validates the result of all that labor: a coffee amaro that genuinely bridges the gap between Italian bitter tradition and American craft innovation. The use of locally sourced Thou Mayest coffee grounds it in Kansas City's thriving food-and-drink culture while delivering a flavor profile bitter and complex enough to stand alongside imported Italian benchmarks. For anyone building an amaro shelf or looking to add genuine depth to coffee-forward cocktails, this bottle fills a niche that very few competitors occupy.
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