Orange bitters were the natural successor of aromatic bitters when new distillation methods led to a lighter type of spirit. The first orange bitters were released in the 1880s, a time when many classic cocktails such as the Martinez and Manhattan were created. Today they are still the most versatile bitters and essential for the preparation of a Dry Martini Cocktail. The Bitter Truth Orange Bitters are a combination of sweet and bitter orange peel, several herbs and spices macerated in alcohol.

At first taste, cardamom and caraway make an entrance and then bow out with true orange peel oil. It starts with fruity sweetness, quickly followed by a bitter taste. The aroma of bitter orange peel is in the foreground, completed by spicy flavors of cardamom, caraway, and nutmeg.

In the golden age of the American cocktail, bitters were an essential ingredient and there were a vast array of flavors to choose from. Bitters complement and embellish the flavor of a well-made cocktail and they were carefully crafted with this in mind. Since 2006, The Bitter Truth forged the way for the re-emergence of the category of bitters in our modern age. With careful research, quality produce and tight production, The Bitter Truth have revived the practice of creating quality cocktail bitters. The Bitter Truth was established by passionate bartenders Stephan Berg and Alexander Hauck in idyllic Bavaria with the intention of supplying bar aficionados with cocktail bitters that have not been seen in a century. Both men gained experience making small-batch cocktail bitters for the bars they represented. For years Stephan has been collecting ancient cocktail books and authentic bitters from the late 19th and early 20th century, and these were the inspiration for their first choice of cocktail bitter flavors.

Originally, cocktail bitters were the ingredient that distinguished cocktails from other categories of beverages such as Toddies, Slings, Fizzes, Sours, or Punches. For decades, they were an essential component of good cocktail creations. The start of prohibition curtailed consumers drinking habits, and cocktail bitters almost sank into oblivion. Only a few brands survived that period, but even after that, not all of them managed to reestablish themselves in the new market.

Proof/ABV: 78