Amaretto Alcohol Content – Brand Proof & Calories Per 1.5 Oz. Shot

If you have ever had any Amaretto, you will recognize the sweet taste of almonds and other ingredients. But what is the Amaretto alcohol content in various brands? With the different proof do the calories also vary per brand?

In this article, we will cover the Amaretto alcohol content, calories, ingredients, tastes and compare it with other nutty liqueurs as well as herbal liquor such as Jagermeister whose ABV and other features were described in our previous article. We will also consider the countries of origin and the cocktails you can make from the brands.

The knowledge from tasting Rumplemintz whose Alcohol Content (Proof) was high at a young age due to curiosity drove me to start a craft brewery to further explore the curious behavior in liquors. Let’s utilize this curiosity to learn a thing or two about Amarettos.

What is the Amaretto alcohol content by brand?

The Amaretto alcohol content ranges from 20 to 28% ABV (alcohol by volume) equivalent to 40 proof to 56 proof depending on the brand, making it a mid-ranged alcohol content liqueur as compared to wines whose ABV is 12% on average, a regular beer whose ABV is 5% on average, and distilled liquor like brandy, gin, rum, vodka, and whiskey whose ABV is 40%.

What is Amaretto alcohol content for different brands

Some of the Amaretto brands such as Di Antonio Amaretto Liqueur may even have as low as 15% alcohol content by volume. However, this is not the norm since most Amaretto has between 20 to 28% alcohol content by volume.

Amaretto is neither a whiskey nor a brandy but is instead a nut-flavored liqueur whose alcohol content is lower. Amaretto is made from almonds while brandy and whiskey or brandy are made from grains and fruit respectively.

The sweet Italian liqueur that originated in Saronno, can be sipped straight, on the rocks, or added to cocktails. Therefore, this delicious almond flavor digestif which has been taken for centuries can be taken straight, on its own, paired with other alcoholic beverages, or as cocktails.

Is Amaretto high in alcohol?

As discussed above, Amaretto has between 20% ABV (40 proof) to 28% ABV. This means that the alcohol content is in the mid-range compared to other 40% ABV distilled liquors such as brandy, vodka, gin, and whiskey while wines have 12% ABV and beer has 5% ABV on average.

Thus, some Amaretto brands such as Algarvinha Licor Almond Liqueur with 20% ABV (40 proof) are about half as strong as the average bottle of whiskey or vodka. Di Antonio Amaretto Liqueur may even have as low as 15% alcohol content by volume.

This means that you will need to take more units of Amaretto as compared to other distilled liqueurs to get you drunk or even buzzed. However, you will need less Amaretto as compared to wines or beer to get you intoxicated.

Therefore, Amaretto is not a very strong, high-alcohol content liqueur (such as green Chartreuse with 55% ABV or Hapsburg Gold Label Premium Reserve Absinthe with 89.9% Alcohol content) as many people imagine.

Amaretto Brands ABV and origin

The common brands of Amaretto from different regions include:

AmarettoAlcohol contentOrigin (country)
Adriatico Caroni Cask Amaretto28% ABV (56 proof)Puglia, Italy.
Algarvinha Licor Almond Liqueur20% ABV (40 proof)Portugal
Amaretto di Amore21% ABV (42 proof)Italy
Bols Amaretto Liqueur24% ABV (48 proof)Kentucky, United States
Caffo Amaretto30% ABV (60 proof)Italy
Di Antonio Amaretto cream15% ABV (30 proof)Netherlands
Di Antonio Amaretto22% ABV (44 proof)Netherlands
Galliano Amaretto28% ABV (56 proof)Italy
Gozio Amaretto24% ABV (48 proof)Italy
Hiram Walker Amaretto25% ABV (50 proof)Fort Smith, Arkansas- United States
Knight Gabriello Amaretto di Toscana28% ABV (56 proof)Italy
Lazzaroni Amaretto24% ABV (48 proof)Saronno, Italy
Luxardo Amaretto di Saschira28% ABV (56 proof)Italy
Saliza Amaretto28% ABV (56 proof)‎IGT Friuli Italy

Amaretto even though an alcoholic drink is meant as a post-dinner drink, you can enjoy the sweet liquor any time. Therefore, you should not only drink it after a large meal but you can enjoy it straight or as a cocktail.

Algarvinha Licor Almond Liqueur alcohol content

Algarvinha Licor is a sweet almond liqueur, from the Algarve region in Portugal which is very similar to Italian amaretto but lighter and has a lower ABV.

The Algarvinha Licor Almond Liqueur has 20% ABV (40-proof) meaning it has about half of the alcohol content in other distilled liquor such as rum, brandy, vodka, and whiskey.

This almond liquor is great with a dessert, and you will love it when poured over ice and lemon. Algarvinha Licor almond liqueur will give you a distinct haze of almond sweetness on your tongue as an aftertaste.

You will get a light straw when you pour this liqueur into a glass. The aroma will be bold, sweet almond-like whereas the flavor will be that of amaretto or marzipan candy.

Amaretto di Amore alcohol content

 Amaretto di Amore is a distilled liquor made in Italy from water, neutral grain spirits, high fructose corn syrup, and natural flavors. The Amaretto is low in alcohol content compared to whiskey, rum, gin, or brandy.

Amaretto di Amore contains 21% alcohol by volume (42 proof). It adds a bit of perfection to whatever you are trying to make being a great mixer and is very smooth going down with its very pleasant taste.

The liqueur is a rich, velvety-smooth, almond-flavored Italian liqueur that you can sip alone or as an indulgent addition to a variety of cocktails. It is made with the crushed essence of apricot.

You will get 120 calories in 1 standard shot (1.5 fl oz) of Di Amore Amaretto from alcohol content, 18 grams of carbohydrates, and 12 grams of proteins. There are no calories from fat in this liqueur.

Bols Amaretto Liqueur alcohol content

The Bols Amaretto is made from ripe apricot kernels to produce a gold-brown liqueur with a sweet almond aroma and nutty caramel flavor and coloring using the deeply rooted Italian tradition.

The Bols Amaretto, which is produced in the Netherlands has 24% alcohol by volume (48 proof). Despite the medium-level alcohol content, the liqueur can be sipped alone or added to cocktails.

You can try this liqueur in modern drinks such as Alabama Slammer or in classic drinks such as the Amaretto Sour. It is thus a nuts & Amaretto Liqueur giving you a sweet and mouth-coating on the palate and showing a sweet almond aroma and nut. The notes you will experience include a beautiful array of toasted almonds and apricot.

Caffo Amaretto alcohol content

The Caffo Amaretto is a premium Amaretto made from 100% estate-grown Sicilian almonds macerated in an herbal infusion, sugar, and alcohol, unlike other Amarettos made from crushed apricot kernel and almonds.

The Caffo brothers use a simple recipe that involves infusing almonds in alcohol and this liqueur develops exquisite dried fruit aromas to come up with Caffo Amaretto with an alcohol content of 30% per volume (60 proof).

The 100% natural ingredients that come from Italy produce an Amaretto with an alcohol content that is higher than most Amarettos whose ABV range from 20% to 28% ABV.

Even with the high alcohol content, you can sip it alone or add it to cocktails involving other alcoholic drinks or non-alcoholic juices.

Di Antonio Amaretto Cream alcohol content

The Di Antonio Amaretto cream is a Netherlands-brewed liquor following the traditional Italian recipe dating back to 1978, in a combination of the finest Dutch cream and smooth Amaretto.

The developed alcoholic cream gives you sweet almond notes with a smooth and creamy finish. On the other hand, the Di Antonio Amaretto liquor is brewed in stainless steel vats and aged in French oak casks.

The alcohol content in Di Antonio Amaretto Cream is 14.7% ABV (30 proof). However, we also have Di Antonio Amaretto whose alcohol content is 22% ABV (44 proof).

The Di Antonio Amaretto cream is best served chilled or on the rocks. The liquor taste hints of vanilla and wild berries, it has a long aftertaste that is aromatic.

Amaretto vs Disaronno

Disaronno alcohol content is 28% by volume (56 proof of alcohol). It is a type of Amaretto that is produced in Italy. Therefore, the question about which is better between Amaretto and Disaronno is neither here nor there since Disaronno is a type of Amaretto.

Disaronno Originale is a drink whose history started with the making of Amaretto by the infusion of amaretto cookies in 1851 combined with alcohol distilled from molasses and a hint of caramel. Amaretto cookies were first produced in 1786 for the ruler of the Saronno region.

Is Amaretto a rum or whiskey?

Most of the people think that Amaretto is a rum or a whiskey since the flavor of amaretto may be similar to that of some whiskeys and brandies. This can not be further from the truth.

Amaretto is neither a whiskey nor brandy but is a nut-flavored Italian liqueur mostly from almonds,  peach stones, and apricot kernel. On the ingredients, Amaretto is made with almonds, brandy is made with fruit, and whiskey is made with grain.

Amaretto is thus a sweet Italian liqueur that was first produced in Saronno. The other difference between Amaretto is that Amaretto is a mid-ranged alcohol content liqueur whose ABV is between 20% to 28% compared with the alcohol content of 40% in whiskey, rum, vodka, and gin.

Conclusion

We have gone through different brands of Amaretto and their alcohol content. This will help you decide the type of Amaretto you want to take and their taste.

The mid-ranged alcohol content liqueur is excellent to take straight, on the rocks, and as part of mixed drinks such as cocktails and mixed with fruit juices.

Amaretto pairs well with the zing of lemon juice. This distilled liqueur will pair perfectly with lime, pineapple, or orange juice.

Sources

https://www.acouplecooks.com/amaretto/

https://www.thespruceeats.com/what-is-amaretto-liqueur-760248

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