Angostura Bitters
Trinidadian aromatic bitters with gentian, spice, and a famously oversized label.
Angostura is the most famous and most used aromatic bitters in the world, produced in Trinidad since 1824 and named after the Venezuelan town where Johann Siegert first developed it. The recipe is secret, the label is too big for the bottle (a labeling error never corrected), and the flavor is an assertive blend of gentian, cinnamon, clove, and a wall of other botanicals. A dash of Angostura turns up in the Old Fashioned, Manhattan, Pisco Sour, Champagne Cocktail, Trinidad Sour — a staggering share of the canon.
History
Developed in 1824 by Johann Siegert, a Prussian army surgeon stationed in the Venezuelan town of Angostura (now Ciudad Bolívar), as a tonic for soldiers. Production moved to Trinidad in 1875 and has stayed there.
Common uses
Old Fashioned, Manhattan, Pisco Sour, Champagne Cocktail.
Cocktails that use Angostura Bitters
- Old Fashioned — The original cocktail — bourbon, sugar, bitters, and an orange peel
- Whiskey Sour — Bourbon meets lemon juice and simple syrup for a silky, frothy sour
- Manhattan — Rye whiskey, sweet vermouth, and bitters — brooding and sophisticated
- Rum Punch — One of sour, two of sweet, three of strong, four of weak — the Caribbean formula
- Pisco Sour — Pisco, lime, syrup, and egg white topped with Angostura bitters — Peru's national drink
- Vieux Carré — Rye, Cognac, vermouth, Bénédictine, and bitters — New Orleans' most complex stirred drink
Substitutes
- Peychaud's Bitters — Anise-forward and pink-tinted — distinct character but usable in many recipes.