When you write a book devoted to the subject of amaro, it should come as no surprise that the question you’re asked most by readers, bartenders, friends and strangers alike is, What is your favorite amaro?

It’s nearly impossible for me to answer. Like Rob Gordon, the obsessive record shop owner played by John Cusack in the film adaptation of Nick Hornby’s High Fidelity, cataloguing your life through ever-changing series of Top Five lists can be a daunting proposition. My favorite amaro depends on where I am, who I’m with, my mood, the occasion and time of day, to name just a few variables.