In the Middle Ages, the monks of the monasteries and abbeys in addition to transcribing and restoring books to pass on culture and knowledge, expertly cultivated herbs and plants to produce mixtures and liqueurs. They combined local botanicals with new and exotic ingredients discovered during the exploration of previously unknown lands. Amaro della Sacra is made using the traditional methods of the monks: macerating in alcohol herbs, spices, roots, barks, resins, seeds and flowers.