Farewell to Francesco Claudio Averna. The last exponent of the Sicilian family who made the historic amaro famous disappears at the age of 66. Former president of the Averna Brothers Spa, the entrepreneur passed away in Milan after a long illness.
He was the last representative of the Nissen family which, since 1868, has produced the amaro dei Benedictine monks, managing to export it all over the world. In 2012 the entrepreneur received the honor of Commander of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic, having been a Knight since 2005.
Averna, the story of a family and a liqueur
The recipe for the famous amaro is discovered by the progenitor of the family, Don Salvatore, a textile merchant, who often frequents the nearby Benedictine abbey of Santo Spirito. In this place of prayer and meditation, according to the chronicles, the Cistercian monks produce a herbal liqueur with a bitter but very pleasant taste.
Always according to what is narrated by the chronicles of the time, the drink also has excellent therapeutic qualities. In 1859 the monks donated the amaro recipe to Salvatore Averna who began its production in 1868. The recipe is known to be a mixture of herbs, spices and roots from the Caltanissetta area and also from other places. The only known ingredients are citrus essential oils, specifically orange and lemon, and pomegranate.
From the heart of Sicily to foreign markets
The monks' liqueur was put into production by the Averna family and soon became very famous for its quality and its pleasant taste. In 1912 King Vittorio Emanuele III grants the manufacturing company to affix the royal coat of arms on the label with the words "Patent of the Royal House".
Since 1958 the company has been listed on the stock exchange and so has Averna Brothers Spa starts the factories in Caltanissetta, the city where the amaro was born. Over the years, the success consolidated and the Amaro Nisseno also conquered foreign markets. Since 2014 the company has been taken over by the group Campari.
Aromas and flavors of one of the most famous liqueurs in the world
Dark color similar to coffee, Amaro Averna is a 'symphony' of aromas typical of the Mediterranean scrub. The flavor is full and enveloping with a truly unique spicy aftertaste. Like all bitters it can be tasted at the end of a meal but it can also be served at other times of the day accompanied with candied orange peel and with chocolate. A delicacy definitely worth tasting.
THEAmaro Averna, one of the best known and best-selling Italian liqueurs in the world, is known for its digestive properties. It can be served with ice or cold after having kept it in the freezer for a few hours; it can also be diluted with tonic water or cola. In fact it is an excellent base for tasty and sparkling cocktails: an amaro with a thousand shades which, as its famous slogan states, is the emblem of 'full taste of life'.
(Photo Facebook Francesco Claudio Averna / Averna)