Cynar
Confused by many, Cynar is pronounced “chee-NAR”
Another bitter amaro, Cynar is named after one of its key ingredients: Cynara, latin for artichoke. While artichoke is a dominant ingredient and is featured on the label, Cynar doesn’t really taste like artichokes. In fact, artichoke is only one of the 13 herbs and plants infused into this amaro.
Many find the idea of “artichoke liquor” to be appealing; however, the dominance of artichoke in the name and label has also worked against Cynar, turning off those less “adventurous.” Unfortunately, this has led to many missing out on one of the most versatile and approachable amari.
Notes:
Sweet and bitter with a hint of rust on the nose. The taste is initially light and sugary, in stark contrast to Cynar’s dark color. The herbal/vegetal qualities also really shine through on the palate. The finish is bitter, akin to a light espresso finish.
Proof:
Cynar is 33 proof (16.5% ABV) and is sold in 1L bottles.
A few Cynar Cocktails:
- Classics:
- Despite its age precluding it from pre-prohibition classics, Cynar does well in place of Campari in classics like the Negroni and Americano.
- This bittersweet amaro can also be substituted in place of all or a portion of the sweet vermouth/bitters in a Manhattan. This versatility carries over to other recipes that call for sweet vermouth and bitters.
- New Originals:
- The Borrowed:
History:
Cynar is a relatively new amaro, first produced in Italy in 1952. Advertising in the 1960s by Ernesto Calindri, helped propel Cynar to relative popularity in Italy. One such ad depicted a man sitting at a table in the middle of traffic drinking Cynar, completely oblivious to the outside world. Despite being somewhat recent, there is not much to find in regards to its origins. In 1995, the Campari Group acquired Cynar and has produced the bittersweet amaro ever since.
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14 Responses to “Cynar”
[…] ingredients that the average drinker probably has never heard of before. Things like Fernet-Branca, Cynar, Green Chartreuse, […]
[…] you are a fan of Cynar, try the European Alliance, which features ingredients from Ireland, France and […]
[…] friend (Domaine de Canton) to a few favorites with fantastic results. Something made me think that Cynar and Domaine de Canton would go well together…. and they definitely do. The ginger flavor […]
[…] been meaning to find good uses for it in a cocktail and with the help of a few friends, Campari and Cynar, came up with the above […]
[…] vegetable a little loosely with herbal and rooty ingredients also allowed. One of my favorites, Cynar, came to mind, as well as […]
[…] variation, it started out a bit different. I was playing with the great combination, of Mezcal and Cynar. I wanted to add a little more body to the mix. As most know, a few ingredients are always on my […]
[…] As previously mentioned, I really enjoy Gran Classico, but found that directly substituting it into classics for Campari made for something a bit too sweet for my taste. This held true in one of my favorite cocktails, the Boulevardier. In an attempt to make something a little different, but still keep a similar flavor profile to a Boulevardier, I swapped the bourbon for rye and the sweet vermouth for Cynar. […]
[…] creations, but find its addition to classics to make them just a bit too sweet. That is where the Cynar in place of vermouth comes into play. Drier and lighter then Eloquent Gentleman, the gin pairs […]
[…] one of my favorite things to use in place of vermouth is Cynar, which has a sweetness but is also quite herbal/vegetal and has a nice bitter finish that works […]
[…] set this one apart from your standard gins. The combination of Botanivore with the herbal/vegetal Cynar and the bittered Cocchi Americano makes for a delicious sipper that is both light and refreshing, […]
[…] Try it with another Amaro, such as Campari or even just go for whiskey. I would guess that Cynar and other darker amari would come out caramelly as well, but who knows until you try it. […]
[…] was easy pickings, but I went straight for my Cynar. Fernet, Averna or any multitude of other Amari would have worked great as well, but I liked the […]
[…] New Hickory Cocktail is a variation of this classic, which swaps out sweet vermouth for Cynar and dry vermouth for Manzanilla sherry, making for a fuller flavored version. Round it out with […]
[…] one a while back, but Bottechia features 3 of my favorite amari in one drink: Campari, Fernet and Cynar. I loved how well this one worked, but it’s a little on the heavier side and I wanted to do […]