Angostura Bitters

Angostura aromatic bitters is a blend of rare tropical herbs and spices that is used to flavour and season a great variety of food dishes and certain alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.

The formula was first compounded in 1824 by Dr. Johann Siegert, Surgeon-General in the army of the great liberator of South America, Simón Bolivar. Dr. Seigert's headquarters were in the port of Angostura, Venezuela, a city now known as Ciudad Bolivar. The doctor experimented for four years before finding the exact formula he was after to improve the appetites and well-being of his troops. Sailors putting into the port discovered the bitters and bought bottles to carry away with them. Soon the fame of "Angostura" bitters spread around the world.

Angostura is now the single most widely distributed bar item in the world.

ANGOSTURA'S SECRET

A common misconception is that Angostura aromatic bitters contains the bark of the Angostura tree. This is not so. In fact, only five living men know the actual formula. Beyond saying that it contains herbs and spices, the Siegert family has kept the formula for Angostura bitters one of the most guarded secrets in history. About twenty years ago, the ink started to fade on the slip of paper carrying the formula that was deposited in a vault in Barclay's Bank in New York City. From its hiding place on the island of Trinidad, where Angostura is now made, the only other copy of the formula was extracted.

Behind locked doors, the information was carefully transferred to another sheet of paper, the new copy was cut into four parts and sealed with sealing wax into four separate envelopes.

Individually - and separately - the four parts were sent by registered mail to New York. Each succeeding quarter was dispatched only after the arrival of the preceding one had been confirmed. Unopened, the four sealed envelopes remain in the vault.

...or so the story goes.

For more information about this product:

Angostura Ltd.

The following recipes on this site use Angostura Bitters:

Añejo Highball

rum, orange curaçao, lime juice, Angostura Bitters, ginger beer,

Ante

calvados, Dubonnet, Cointreau, Angostura Bitters,

Bamboo

dry vermouth, dry sherry, Angostura Bitters, orange bitters,

Black Feather

brandy, dry vermouth, Cointreau, Angostura Bitters,

Cabaret

gin, dry vermouth, Benedictine, Angostura Bitters,

Captain's Blood

rum, lime juice, simple syrup, Angostura Bitters,

Champagne Cocktail

champagne, sugar, Angostura Bitters,

Champs Elysées

brandy, Chartreuse, lemon juice, simple syrup, Angostura Bitters,

Derby

bourbon whiskey, Benedictine, Angostura Bitters,

Diabolo

brandy, dry vermouth, Angostura Bitters, orange bitters,

East India House

brandy, pineapple syrup, maraschino liqueur, orange curaçao, Angostura Bitters,

Fancy Whiskey Cocktail

rye whiskey, Angostura Bitters, simple syrup,

Fancy-Free

bourbon whiskey, maraschino liqueur, Angostura Bitters, orange bitters,

Festa

cachaça, lime juice, raspberry syrup, ginger liquer, Angostura Bitters, soda water,

Income Tax

gin, orange juice, dry vermouth, sweet vermouth, Angostura Bitters,

Intro to Aperol

Aperol, gin, lemon juice, simple syrup, Angostura Bitters,

Japanese

brandy, orgeat, Angostura Bitters,

Jolly Roger

rum, rum, orange juice, falernum, Angostura Bitters,

Journalist

gin, dry vermouth, sweet vermouth, triple sec, lemon juice, Angostura Bitters,

Lion's Tail

bourbon whiskey, pimento dram, lime juice, simple syrup, Angostura Bitters,

Manhattan

rye whiskey, sweet vermouth, Angostura Bitters,

Monte Carlo

rye whiskey, Benedictine, Angostura Bitters,

Morning Cocktail

brandy, dry vermouth, orange curaçao, maraschino liqueur, absinthe, Angostura Bitters,

Mother-In-Law

bourbon whiskey, Cointreau, maraschino liqueur, simple syrup, Peychaud's bitters, Angostura Bitters, Amer Picon,

Old Cuban

lime juice, simple syrup, rum, Angostura Bitters, mint, champagne,

Old Fashioned Whiskey Cocktail

rye whiskey, simple syrup, Angostura Bitters,

Pegu Club

gin, orange curaçao, lime juice, Angostura Bitters, orange bitters,

Pink Gin

gin, Angostura Bitters,

Pisco Sour

pisco, lime juice, simple syrup, egg white, Angostura Bitters,

Queen’s Park Swizzle

rum, simple syrup, lime juice, Angostura Bitters, mint,

Rosita

tequila, sweet vermouth, dry vermouth, Campari, Angostura Bitters,

Saratoga

brandy, rye whiskey, sweet vermouth, Angostura Bitters,

Seelbach

bourbon whiskey, Cointreau, Angostura Bitters, Peychaud's bitters, champagne,

Sherman

sweet vermouth, rye whiskey, absinthe, Angostura Bitters, orange bitters,

Singapore Sling

gin, Cherry Heering, Cointreau, Benedictine, pineapple juice, lime juice, grenadine, Angostura Bitters,

Spencer

gin, apricot brandy, orange juice, Angostura Bitters,

Stargazer

rye whiskey, Lillet blanc, Angostura Bitters,

Stork Club

gin, Cointreau, orange juice, lime juice, Angostura Bitters,

Straits Sling

gin, dry cherry brandy, Benedictine, lemon juice, orange bitters, Angostura Bitters, soda water,

Suburban

rye whiskey, rum, port, Angostura Bitters, orange bitters,

Suffering Bastard

gin, bourbon whiskey, lime juice, ginger ale, Angostura Bitters,

Tip Top

dry vermouth, Benedictine, Angostura Bitters,

Vieux Carre

rye whiskey, brandy, sweet vermouth, Benedictine, Peychaud's bitters, Angostura Bitters,

Voyager

rum, Benedictine, falernum, lime juice, Angostura Bitters,

Washington

brandy, dry vermouth, Angostura Bitters, simple syrup,

Widow's Kiss

calvados, Chartreuse, Benedictine, Angostura Bitters,

Young Man

brandy, sweet vermouth, orange curaçao, Angostura Bitters,

Zombie

lemon juice, lime juice, pineapple juice, brown sugar, passion fruit syrup, rum, rum, rum, Angostura Bitters,