Cynar
Cynar is a 16.5% ABV Italian bitter liqueur, made since 1952 from 13 herbs and plants, the artichoke on the label chief among them. It tastes bitter, herbal and faintly savoury rather than of vegetables. Light for an amaro, it is often drunk long with soda, and it supplies the bitterness in the Brazilian Rabo de Galo.
Quick Facts
Capped, in a cool cupboard; the fridge is not needed. Over a year open, it slowly loses aroma.
None of the 14 listed allergens. Recipes change: check the bottle.
About Cynar
Flavour Profile
Primary Flavours
Tasting Notes
Bitter and herbal, with a savoury, faintly vegetal depth and a dry finish; the artichoke shows as bitterness rather than as a flavour of its own.
Artichoke on the label, bitterness in the glass
Cynar takes its name from Cynara scolymus, the globe artichoke, and artichoke is the leading one of its 13 herbs and plants. Its contribution is bitterness, not a vegetable flavour. In the glass that reads as herbs and a slight savoury note, with a dry finish.
Low strength for an amaro
At 16.5% ABV Cynar has under half the strength of Fernet-Branca and well under Campari's 25%. It still qualifies as a liqueur, at 15% or more with no less than 100g/L of sugar. Sweet and bitter but light, it works long: 50ml with soda over ice is about 0.8 UK units.
Cynar compared with Campari and Aperol
Cynar
- Strength (UK)
- 16.5% ABV
- Legal category
- Liqueur
- Leading flavour
- Artichoke and herbs
- Bitterness
- Moderate, savoury
- Long serve
- With soda and orange or lemon
Campari
- Strength (UK)
- 25% ABV
- Legal category
- Liqueur
- Leading flavour
- Bitter herbs, orange peel
- Bitterness
- High
- Long serve
- With soda
Aperol
- Strength (UK)
- 11% ABV
- Legal category
- Under liqueur strength
- Leading flavour
- Orange, rhubarb
- Bitterness
- Gentle
- Long serve
- Spritz with prosecco
| Bottle | Strength (UK) | Legal category | Leading flavour | Bitterness | Long serve |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cynar | 16.5% ABV | Liqueur | Artichoke and herbs | Moderate, savoury | With soda and orange or lemon |
| Campari | 25% ABV | Liqueur | Bitter herbs, orange peel | High | With soda |
| Aperol | 11% ABV | Under liqueur strength | Orange, rhubarb | Gentle | Spritz with prosecco |
It is usually drunk long
Soda water over ice, with a citrus slice, is the usual serve, and mixing it with orange juice is common in Europe. Neat, it is a digestivo. A stronger bottling, Cynar 70 Proof at 35%, suits anyone wanting an amaro of conventional strength.
In the Rabo de Galo
The Rabo de Galo sets 15ml of Cynar against four times as much cachaça and a smaller pour of sweet vermouth. The cane spirit is grassy, the vermouth adds caramel and sugar, and the Cynar's savoury bitterness sits between them, in a drink of about three UK units.
Using Cynar
Usage
Long, over ice, topped with soda and a twist of lemon or orange, or with orange juice. In cocktails it brings 15ml of bitterness to the Rabo de Galo, where it keeps the cane spirit and vermouth from turning sweet.
Pro Tip
In the Rabo de Galo the Cynar is the counterweight. Cane spirit and sweet vermouth agree with each other, and without the bitter the glass would taste soft and sugary.
Top Tips
- Try it long first: 50ml with soda over ice shows what it does.
- No fridge needed once opened, though its aroma fades over a year.
- Expect bitterness and a savoury edge, not the taste of artichoke.
Possible Substitutions
- Campari: Brighter and more bitter; start with a little less
Production Method
Thirteen herbs and plants, predominantly artichoke, infused and sweetened; 16.5% ABV. The other botanicals are not published.
History & Context
Cynar was launched in Italy in 1952 and named after Cynara scolymus, the globe artichoke. Campari Group has made and distributed it since 1995. A stronger version, Cynar 70 Proof at 35% ABV, sits alongside the original.