Zucca Rabarbaro Liqueur

Zucca Rabarbaro is a dark-amber Italian amaro that is being relaunched using its original 1845 recipe. Zucca, the story goes, started as a doctor’s potion to alleviate the indigestion of a patient; the patient’s husband then modified this infusion of rhubarb—rabarbaro in Italian, but specifically the roots of Chinese rhubarb—and medicinal herbs, orange zest, and cardamom, using enough alcohol to bring the proof up to 60 and creating what became a popular after-dinner drink. Today, the original Zucca’s bittersweet herbal flavor and slightly smoky, earthy intensity also make it an intriguing mixer—or, with a splash of soda and citrus, a fine aperitivo.