Orange Bitters
CoreUnited States (Regans' / Fee Brothers), Trinidad (Angostura Orange), Germany (The Bitter Truth)
Tasting Notes
Bitter orange peel (dominant), marmalade, bergamot, dried citrus zest, gentian bitterness, cardamom (in Regans'), coriander, clove. Regans' is the driest and most bitter — orange peel and cardamom. Fee Brothers is the sweetest — orange candy with mild bitterness. Angostura Orange sits between — complex, balanced, slightly herbal. The best orange bitters taste like biting into the peel of a Seville orange: intensely aromatic, bitter, oily, and sharp.
Brand Guide
Essential: Regans' Orange Bitters No. 6 ($9-12/10oz — the industry standard, created by Gary Regan). Alternative: Fee Brothers West Indian Orange ($7-10/4oz — sweeter, glycerine-based).
Angostura Orange ($12-16/4oz — more complex, gentian-forward). Craft: The Bitter Truth Orange ($14-18), Scrappy's Orange ($16-20). Regans' is the default. It's what most cocktail recipes mean when they say 'orange bitters.' Fee Brothers is sweeter and works better in stirred drinks. Angostura Orange is the most bitter of the three