Bitters are spirits containing various botanical extracts - fruits, herbs, spices. Originally produced for medicinal purposes, bitters are today served as aperitifs and digestifs, but used mainly in cocktails to balance the sweet and sour flavors.
Bitters can be classified in many ways, for example based on sugar content (from dry to very sweet) or by the botanicals used for flavoring. Citrus bitters are enriched with refreshing orange or lemon notes; fruit bitters are flavored with cherries, peaches or cranberries. Herbal bitters like Chartreuse and Fernet are blended from various herbal ingredients; and in spiced bitters, cinnamon or cardamom come to the fore.
Bitters are important components in classic cocktails like the Old Fashioned, Manhattan and Negroni. Just few drops of bitters can enhance a cocktail, balancing the sweetness, enhancing the aroma and adding an extra layer of flavor.
