Find the key etiquette rules on how to serve and drink Amaretto and tips to be the ideal host or the perfect guest at the dining table.

how to serve and drink amaretto

What Amaretto etiquette is

Amaretto etiquette is the set of rules to properly serve and drink Amaretto. Such rules help avoid behaviors that can disrespect hosts or guests, or make you look unpolite.

If you are hosting, follow Amaretto etiquette rules to appropriately serve it to your guests.

If you are a guest, respect the etiquette to drink and enjoy it properly.

What you should know about Amaretto

Amaretto is a liqueur. It is a typical product of northwest Italy.

Amaretto is made from almonds, apricot stones, or peach stones. The mix of ingredients varies based on the brand. Amaretto is very sweet in flavor, with a strong and characteristic almond flavor. Its alcohol content is between 21% and 28%.

Etiquette tips to serve and drink Amaretto

1) How to store Amaretto

Store the Amaretto in a cool and dry place. The temperature should be constant. Keep the bottle away from sources of heat. The bottle should not be exposed to direct light, natural or artificial. 

You can store Amaretto in the fridge. Storing it in the freezer is not common but not inappropriate. 

After opening it, you can keep a bottle of Amaretto outside. It will last for many months. 

2) How to prepare Amaretto

Amaretto can be served as a drink, mixed in a cocktail, or used for cooking.

As a drink, Amaretto does not need preparation before serving. 

If you prefer, you can chill it. Place it in the fridge 5 or 6 hours before serving, or in the freezer about 1 hour before.

When you mix Amaretto in a cocktail or serve it on the rocks, you should not chill it.

Amaretto can be an ingredient for savory dishes or desserts, such as pancakes or Tiramisu. You can add it as a flavor enhancer to ice cream or coffee.

3) How to serve & present Amaretto

You can serve Amaretto solo in small digestif glasses. Amaretto on the rocks requires a tumbler or similar glasses. It is appropriate to chill the glasses in the fridge.

Present Amaretto in its bottle or already poured into individual glasses. Since its flavor can be too sweet for many guests, you can accompany it with ice and lemon.

When you serve Amaretto solo, you can chill it before serving. If you are serving Amaretto on the rocks, serve it at room temperature.

Do not serve Amaretto in shot glasses.

4) When to serve & drink Rum

Amaretto is a very sweet liqueur. Thus, it is most appropriate for after-meal drinks. You can also serve it during a meal, to accompany a dessert or a fruit salad.

Amaretto or Amaretto cocktails are too sweet for an aperitivo or pre-meal drinks. 

As a liqueur, it can fit both formal and informal occasions. Such as a formal dinner or a drinking party.

5) Food & aromas to pair Amaretto with

With its distinctive almond notes, Amaretto combines well with many aromas. Chocolate. Cinnamon. Coffee. It also pairs well with many fruits. Citric fruits, such as lemon, lime, and orange. Tropical fruits. Like coconut or pineapple.

Amaretto can combine well with savory food too. You can add to sauces for chicken, poultry, fish, or vegetables.  

In cocktails, you can mix Amaretto with many spirits. Vodka. Light Rum. Cognac. Scotch.

6) How to drink Amaretto

Drink Amaretto neat or on the rocks. Drink it in a tumbler or a similar glass. Smaller digestif glasses work too with Amaretto neat.

Since its taste is very sweet, it is perfectly appropriate to add ice, lemon, or orange. However, it is not elegant to dilute Amaretto with water.

It is not appropriate to drink shots of Amaretto. Sip it like a long drink. A glass should last between 15 and 30 minutes.

Amaretto serving & drinking etiquette: the worst mistakes

When serving or drinking Amaretto, avoid the worst etiquette mistakes. 

  • 10/10. Getting drunk. 
  • 3/10. Drinking Amaretto as a pre-meal drink.

Additional information for properly serving Amaretto

How many calories per serving?

Counting calories is important to stay healthy and to correctly plan a menu.

Amaretto contains about 380 calories per 100 ml (3.5 oz). An individual serving is a glass of 60 ml (2.0 oz). It contains 217 calories.

How to buy the best Amaretto

A crucial factor in Amaretto etiquette is to serve the best product possible to your guests.

Choose the best

The most famous Amaretto brand is Di Saronno.

There are also a few other good brands of semi-industrial or almost artisan Amaretto. Every brand has its own recipe. Thus, if you like Amaretto, it is worth tasting a few of such brands.

Alternatives to Amaretto

You can replace Amaretto with a similar sweet liqueur. Such as almond or apricot liqueurs.

Sources