Review: L’Aperitivo Nonino and Amaro Nonino

The Nonino family has been distilling grappa and amari in Friuli, Italy since 1897, and has been helmed by three female distillers over its lifetime. The current boss is Francesca Nonino, the third generation of the Nonino family, and the creator of a new product, an Aperol-adjacent aperitivo that, of course, is also called Nonino. (The three generations of female distillers are represented on the label.) Like its forebear, the new product is unique due to its (partial) base of grappa, alongside grain neutral spirits.

Today we try the Noninos old and new, so let’s get to it.

L’Aperitivo Nonino – Formally called L’Aperitivo Nonino Botanical Drink, this is a (very) sweet, pale orange liqueur that puts its bittering elements in the back seat. Herbal and citrusy on the nose, there’s a sense of sweetness but it’s rather indistinct. Things explode right away on the palate: Bright notes of lemon and tangerine are tempered by a clear saffron character — definitely responsible for the hue — plus notes of anise and slightly vegetal rhubarb. It’s all very sweet and a bit syrupy; this is one of those bottles that gets sticky right after you open it. A gentian-driven bitterness really doesn’t hit until the finish, where it is moderate in power and reasonably lasting. Use it in a spritz, or in the West Palm cocktail below, which I found absolutely delightful. 42 proof. B+ / $40 [BUY IT NOW FROM RESERVEBAR]

Amaro Nonino Quintessentia – Nonino is a classic amari with a significant cult following — plus considerable usage in cocktails. Oddly, I never seem to drink it solo… until now. The nose is immediately spicy and smoky — think torched cinnamon sticks and cloves, smoldering incense, and smudged rosemary. Beneath the spice, the amaro moves into notes of raisins, figs, and very dark chocolate. The palate is even more exotic: sweet, sulfury molasses open up to bitter chocolate, anise, and cloves. It’s balanced but it again comes across as quite smoky, increasingly heavy with more clove and cinnamon as the finish builds. There’s lots of barrel char late in the game, with a finish that reprises dark chocolate, but slightly syrupy. Ultimately, Nonino is more innocuous than its reputation would suggest, which is either a good or a bad thing, depending on your point of view. It may indeed be best in cocktails. 70 proof. B+ / $45 [BUY IT NOW FROM RESERVEBAR]

Here’s that recipe…

West Palm
1 1/2 oz. L’Aperitivo Nonino
Fever-Tree Sparkling Pink Grapefruit

Add Nonino to a Collins glass, add crushed ice, and fill with grapefruit soda. Garnish with a lime wedge.

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