Angostura Bitters
CorePort of Spain / Trinidad and Tobago
Tasting Notes
Gentian root bitterness (dominant), warm baking spices (cinnamon, clove, allspice), dried fruit, tamarind, cardamom, slight menthol, dark chocolate. On the nose: Christmas spice cake. On the palate: intense, concentrated, bitter-sweet-spicy. A single drop on your wrist reveals the complexity. The bitterness hits first, the spice fills the middle, and a long warm finish lingers.
Brand Guide
This IS the brand tier. Angostura Aromatic Bitters ($10-14 for 4 oz, $20-25 for 16 oz). There's no well/call/premium ladder — Angostura is the standard, full stop. Competitors exist (Fee Brothers Old Fashion, Regans' Aromatic) but none have displaced Angostura from the essential three. One bottle lasts weeks to months depending on volume. At roughly $0.02 per dash, it's the best value ingredient at the bar.