Cynar

Cynar

 

A Italian beverage that can either be considered an apéritif, a drink made for consumption before a meal to stimulate the appetite, or it can be considered a digestif, which is considered the contrast of an apéritif since it is drunk after the meal to aid digestion. Because of this, Cynar is considered one of the worlds most versatile drinks since it can be used as an after dinner in Italy, to spike beer in France or as a mixer in Brazil.

 

The flavor of Cynar is very distinctly bitter and strong with a taste of copper reminiscent of that of tarnished pennies, it has a dark brown color and has an alcohol by volume level of 16.5%.

 

Cynar is made from 13 different herbs and plants, the most common among these is the Cynara scolymus, or Artichoke, from where the drink has gotten its name, it is the component of artichokes that makes the drink in som cases classed as a digestif. Artichoke tea is also a large commercial product in countries such as Vietnam.

 

Cynar can be drunk on the rocks as an apéritif or as a cocktail mixed with soda water and a lemon or orange slice, although Europeans often mix it with orange juice. Other possible mixers for Cynar is cola, tonic water, or bitter lemon soda. Since 1995, Cynar is manufactured and distributed by the Campari Group, an Italian-based company that produces alcoholic beverages such as Campari, SKYY Vodka, Ouzo and others. The drink was first introduced in 1952 and all of the history of the drink is closely tied to the very succesful advertisements in television made by Ernesto Calindri in the 1960s.

 

Cynar can be mixed in a variety of different drinks and cocktails, two of them being Cynar Biere, which is made by mixing Cynar into a mix of lemon syrup and beer, and Italian Manhattan, which is made in a shaker by mixing lemon slices and Cynar.