CHARLESTON — Kyle Harder was visiting Italy when he tasted a drink unlike any he had tried before. It was an amaro, the Italian digestif with origins that date to ancient Rome.
Harder, who by this point in his life had spent years working for large beverage companies such as Diageo and Proximo Spirits, was struck by how smooth this spirit was. He was even more intrigued when he learned it was made with fresh arugula.
“That’s when I kind of had that light bulb moment,” Harder, the owner of See the Elephant Amaro, recalled.
He purchased a bottle and hauled it home in his carry-on. As Harder mulled over the complex spirit, which has notes of bubble gum, caramel and banana, he began to consider launching an import business that relied on selling this style of amaro, for it tasted less bitter than the others he had encountered.
In 2022, See the Elephant Amaro was born.
The Peel the Burn cocktail at Lost Isle, created by Morgan Coyne, utilizes See the Elephant Amaro.
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Produced on the Cilento Coast of southern Italy, See the Elephant Amaro begins with a neutral, high-proof spirit that is steeped in locally sourced arugula for two to three weeks. Botanicals are infused into the mixture, along with some homemade caramel, to create the bottled beverage that is now sold at retail shops in 24 states.
It’s also a key ingredient in cocktails at Sorelle, Lost Isle, Frannie & The Fox, Le Farfalle and other popular Charleston restaurants.
Still, amaro is an underrepresented beverage category, Harder said, and it hasn’t flourished in the U.S. cocktail scene quite like its brightly colored siblings, Campari and Aperol. Harder hopes to raise awareness about amaro’s potential to enhance cocktails, whether at home or in the restaurant setting. He’ll have a chance to do so at the upcoming Charleston Wine + Food Festival, where he’ll participate in a trio of events.
Dining and Cooking