Amaro Nonino

I'm bereft. Yes bereft. In the search for hard to get spirits I've missed out on Amaro Nonino. Someone whom I shall not mention told me way too late that the Strath had gotten it in. Who does that? Who tells you after it's all gone? Very sad.... some might say bereft. I'm seriously thinking of ending all ties with the nameless.

Nonino is grappa based and aged in wood so it has a unique flavour and it's a bit sweeter than other Amaros. I know this now because nameless let me try his - it's as if he's taunting me. Well and now haunting too, I keep hearing little voices calling nonino... nonino....
I tell you bereft – well and delusionary but I can't go into the details here.

So I am temporarily thwarted on my path to creating a nouveau Manhattan with every Amaro out there. I've tried Montenegro, Ramazotti, Averna, and Punt e Mes (not an amaro but amaro like). I love the Punt e Mes the best so far and it's not due to having four bottles of it in the house.

Yes four. Nameless told me there wouldn't be any available in Canada for a long time and so I ran out and bought two more. Meanwhile a friend was off to Italy and was willing to bring me back 'a treat'. I asked for Carpano Antica. I waited anxiously for his return and lo and behold what does he bring back but... a bottle of Punt e Mes, the store owner told him it was the same thing. It's not been a good year but might improve when I sell my friend the securities I bought from Bernie Madoff.

Back to spirits and making cocktails. Did anyone see the Clock Bar's Manhattan? Interesting use of bitters or at least I've never used cherry bitters in my Manhattan but of course it makes sense. Now that I write that down I'm thinking it's a duh moment for me = how could I not .