Staibano Limoncello / 70cl

Product Information

Sfusato Amalfitano: The word sfusato comes from the Italian word for “spindle,” and is a visual reference to this even more elongated, pointed lemon native to Amalfi. Taste and quality can vary tremendously from producer to producer and from bottle to bottle. Bad limoncello tastes like window cleaner; good limoncello tastes pure and invigorating, like imbibing a ray of sunshine. The IGP stamp (Indicazione Geografica Protetta) guarantees that every lemon rind used to make Amalfi Smooth is that of the iconic Amalfi lemon the best in the world. Beyond the convent walls, making lemon liqueur became a family affair. Residents of the Amalfi Coast probably have been sharing bottles of lemon liqueur among family and friends for centuries. Recipes began appearing in regional cookbooks around 1900. Don Staibano would only use the freshest ingredients to create his recipes, all from the surrounding areas of Amalfi. Amalfi Smooth, manufactured in small batches, is still made with the same ethos.

Like this article? Don't miss "Authentic Shopping: Insider Tips to Come Home with an Italian Souvenir You’ll Treasure for Life" How to Experience Limoncello on the Amalfi Coast A liqueur is a hard thing to get right. It can be too sweet and cloying and there’s a risk its flavour is under or overwhelming. But this year our annual competition showed that brands are focusing on balance and complexity.As the judges reflected on the assortment of liqueurs set before them throughout the day, they agreed that the category is growing in diversity and quality. What we do know for certain is that wherever the spirit got here from, it’s nonetheless inextricably linked to all these three areas of Italy to at the present time. Nevertheless, Amalfi is the present torchbearer because of its superior lemons. Sfusato lemons, often known as Sfusato Amalfitano, had been dropped at the Amalfi Coast from the Center East a number of centuries in the past and are excellent for making limoncello.

After the peels macerate for the desired time, the mixture is strained and then combined with a syrup made of sugar dissolved in boiling water. There it stays for another month, covered in a cool, dark place. Finally, the whole mixture is filtered, then bottled and corked. In addition to limoncello, the shop also sells honey, marmalade, pastries, and natural cosmetics made with lemons. The shop is impossible to miss with lemon products literally spilling out onto the cobblestones alongside the staircase leading to Amalfi’s cathedral façade. It’s a skill to get the flavour of a fruit to come across as natural in a liqueur, and the good majority of them managed it very well,” enthused Manchester. “The Rhubarb in particular was a very honest representation; the flavour wasn’t artificial in any way.” In 1988, a businessman from Capri named Massimo Canale registered the first trademark with the word “limoncello,” using a recipe handed down from his great-great-grandmother and commercializing the drink outside of the region. It was an idea—and a product—that would prove wildly successful, as limoncello has transcended not only the region but all of Italy to be considered an international and world-class tradition. Different Lemons, Different Attributes As in making a good risotto, a fine wheel of Parmigiano-Reggiano, or a bottle of traditional balsamic vinegar, good limoncello results from quality ingredients, generations of knowledge, small but critical tweaks in the recipe, and well-kept family secrets passed down over generations.

Review and Tasting

Chairing the second panel was Ben Lindsay, director of Garnish Communications, who was joined by Dmitry Mishin, general manager at Honest Burgers, and Josh Powell, head bartender, consultant and drinks writer. We at Campania Wines are looking forward to a few weeks on the Amalfi Coast later this year, sipping an after dinner limoncello, and taking in the breath taking views of Positano and Ravello.