Cheers to “National Amaretto Day”!

Amaretto is an Italian sweet almond-flavored liqueur. It is made from a base of apricot or almond pits, sometimes both.  “Amaro” is Italian for "bitter", in this case, bitter almond but the addition of sweeteners cover the bitter taste.

The legend of the liqueur is centered on an artist in Italy. In 1525, a Saronno church commissioned artist Bernardino Luini, one of Leonardo da Vinci's pupils, to paint their sanctuary with frescoes. As the church was dedicated to the Virgin Mary, Luini needed to depict the Madonna, but was in need of a model. He found his inspiration in a young widowed innkeeper, who became his model and (in most versions) lover. Out of gratitude and affection, the woman wished to give him a gift. Her simple means did not permit much, so she steeped apricot kernels in brandy and presented the resulting concoction to a touched Luini.

Disaronno Originale (28% abv) has a characteristic bittersweet almond taste (although it contains no almonds or nuts) and is known for its distinctive appearance. Disaronno claims its "originale" amaretto's "secret formula" is unchanged from the year 1525 which dates back to the legend and claims the Luini tale as its own particular history. Its production remains in Saronno, but the product is sold worldwide. The company describes its amaretto as an infusion of "apricot kernel oil" with "absolute alcohol, burnt sugar, and the pure essence of seventeen selected herbs and fruits". The amber liqueur is presented in a rectangular glass decanter designed by a craftsman from Murano. Their amaretto contains no almonds, and is nut-free, therefore, it is safe for people with nut or related allergies.

Lazzaroni Amaretto (24% abv), produced by Paolo Lazzaroni & Figli S.p.A., also presents itself as the first such liqueur. However, it is based on an infusion of Amaretti di Saronno (macaroons), a process which imparts a "delicate almond & apricot flavour". Lazzaroni claim the tale of the young couple blessed by the bishop as the origin of their generations-guarded family recipe, dating it to 1718; the amaretto has been in production since 1851.

(Source: Wikipedia; Photo credit: glass, eHow.com; Church of San Francesco in Saronno, Italy, Wikipedia; the Disaronno Originale rectangular bottle, Wikipedia; Lazzaroni Amaretto , crownwineandspirits.com)