Ettaler Kloster Bitter

Colour: Amber. Aroma: Cola nut, coal dust, root extracts (sarsaparilla, licorice), earth. Flavour & Texture: Bitter and earthy with baking spice and root extracts solidly in charge. The bitterness builds over time with tannin, cinchona bark and dandelion notable. There is no sweetness at all and the texture is hefty but not thick. Earthy bark-extract flavours linger on the palate. This reminded me strongly of some Italian ferro-china amari I’ve tasted in the past. It is certainly distinctive and would appeal to those who enjoy bitter digestifs, but these things are an acquired taste and this was a little too full-on for me. It might be interesting in some cocktails where it could balance sweetness, but I’m not inclined to experiment. This was from a pack of 5 liqueur miniatures we bought from Ettal Benedictine monastery in Bavaria. This is not the sort of thing I usually enjoy, but I can tell it is well made and a good example of a bitter. “Good” : 83/100 (3.5 stars)