Some spirits are created in a laboratory. Others begin around a family table, that is where Oak City got it’s start.

The Amaretto began with Grandma Scalabrino and a treasured Sicilian family recipe. Passed down through generations, Grandma made her amaretto for family and friends around the holidays. It was never simply a drink, but a way of bringing people together, sharing stories, and celebrating who mattered most.

Years later, her grandson Anthony Scalabrino, a U.S. Navy veteran and former naval pilot, was teaching Naval ROTC at NC State in Raleigh when he began wondering if Grandma’s recipe could become something more. After touring a local distillery, he took the leap and turned that family tradition into Oak City Amaretto, launching the brand in 2017.

The name itself pays tribute to Raleigh—the “City of Oaks”—where the company began. Today, Oak City remains focused on the same idea that started it all: bringing people together around a great bottle and a welcoming table.
The Amaretto is made using actual almonds (not apricot pits), with zero artificial ingredients or caramel coloring, just the way grandma intended.