Celebrating Italian Drinks Culture

From apéritifs to fruit distillates to intricate herbal liqueurs, our import portfolio showcases Italy's most dedicated and creative spirits producers—an unparalleled assortment of passionate artisans who prize craft and tradition above all else.

A reverence for ingredients, an instinctive sense of flavor, and a talent for hospitality: The producers in our portfolio all share these fundamentally Italian traits. Our founders draw on decades of experience to bring you best-in-class iterations of all the Italian classics—hand-crafted, award-winning spirits that grace the most carefully curated bars in the world.

THE CASE FOR ITALIAN SPIRITS

Italy's wine culture is arguably the most diverse in the world. The same could be said about its spirits production, even if many Italian specialties remain obscure and/or misunderstood. That's why we created The Italian Spirits Company: to celebrate the diversity of Italian spirits and showcase the most authentic, artisanal creations.

Yes, spirits express terroir. Tempting as it may be to classify them as industrial products, they have deep agricultural roots. Grappa is the spirits analog to “whole-animal” cooking, produced from grape pomace which, ideally, is sourced from immediate neighbors. Liqueurs are cut from similar cloth, flavored by resourceful Italians with fruits, herbs, spices, and other ingredients found closest to home (and often nowhere else!).

Italy now has a growing number of Geographic Indications (IGs) for traditional spirits products—classics like Limoncello from Sorrento and Amalfi; Nocino (walnut liqueur) from Modena; Genepy from Piedmont; and Mirto (myrtle liqueur) from Sardinia. These are authentic evocations of place, as complex and “of the earth” as any bottle of wine.

MEET OUR PRODUCERS

BALDORIA VERMOUTH

Hand-Crafted, Sustainably Sourced, Wildly Inventive Vermouths

Crafted in Piemonte by Master Distiller Piero Nuvoloni-Bonnet and Dotan Shalev, the founder of Little Red Door a “World's 50 Best Bar“ cocktail bar in Paris, Baldoria takes vermouth in exciting new directions, with sustainability always top-of-mind. Designed not only for bespoke cocktails but for sipping slowly over ice, these distinctive creations have top bartenders and chefs buzzing.

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The Baldoria White Negroni

1 oz Baldoria Bianco

1 oz Baldoria Bitter

1 oz Gin

Stir ingredients well in an ice-filled mixing glass; strain into an ice-filled rocks glass. Garnish with an orange slice or orange peel.

GINEPRAIO GIN

A celebration of Tuscany and its signature contribution to craft spirits: Juniper.

Where does the world's most prized juniper for gin come from? Tuscany. It's everywhere, from the heavily forested hills of Chianti Classico to the scrublands of the Mediterranean Coast, and the Ginepraio Gin lineup is a celebration of this bounty. Three different types of organically grown juniper, sourced from three distinct regions of Tuscany, are the foundation on which Ginepraio is built. Aging in terra cotta amphorae lends a velvety gloss to the textures, but these are nevertheless resolutely dry and resonant gins that cut through the clutter of an increasingly crowded category.

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GINROSA APERITIVO

The historic Milanese aperitivo expands its fan base in the US and beyond.

The year was 1885, the place was Milan, and the protagonist was Annunciata Bourne, a philanthropist and entrepreneur who believed that the nascent Italian tradition of aperitivo needed a feminine (and feminist) touch. She formulated a new bitter liqueur called Ginrosa, a “pink” alternative to the masculine “red' Campari. In an era when unaccompanied women were not allowed in the famed Caffe Campari, Bourne opened her own bar—and poured her own signature drink—and decreed that unaccompanied men were not welcome. More than 200 years later, drinks impresario Stefano DiDio (producer of Oscar.697 Vermouths) is reviving this historically important brand. For anyone who thought Campari was the only game in town, think again: The bitters category is about to get a lot more interesting!

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PAESANI LIQUORI

A panoramic assortment of Italian spirits, hand-crafted in the shadow of Abruzzo's highest mountain peak.

Founded in 1961 and now run by second- and third-generation proprietors Antonio (father) and Mirco (son) Paesani, this is a jewel-box of a fabbrica headquartered just outside Teramo, Abruzzo, in the shadow of the highest peak in the Apennine Mountains: The Gran Sasso d'Italia (a.k.a. the “Great Rock of Italy”). The impeccable liqueurs produced here include local specialties such as Genziana and Ratafia and are headlined by the award-winning Amaro Gran Sasso, a dark and brooding formulation that nevertheless displays precision balance. The Italian Spirits Company is beyond thrilled to bring these hand-crafted gems to the US market!

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DISTILLERIA SCHIAVO / GAJÀRDO

Small-batch grappa at its finest, and a range of bitters designed to elevate and evolve the category.

No company that calls itself “The Italian Spirits Company” can call its portfolio complete without some of the best artisan-scale grappa being produced today. Enter fifth-generation Master Distiller Marco Schiavo, whose family distillery near Vicenza dates to 1887. Crafted in very small batches and aged for at least eight months in tank after distillation to allow their aromatic components to knit together, these classic Italian pomace brandies are now complemented by Marco Schiavo's exhaustively researched, painstakingly crafted range of bitter liqueurs, marketed under the Gajàrdo (meaning “red-blooded,” or “strong”) label. Like the Schiavo grappe, the Gajardo aperitivi are the work of a dedicated craftsman. Working closely with an Italian barman named Giacomo Diamante, Marco created a “bitter worthy to be called that,” without the excessive sweetness found in the big-brand bottlings.

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SCUPPOZ LIQUORI

The ultimate family affair and a spirited love letter to the pastures and mountains of Abruzzo.

Our first encounter with Scuppoz was at the SlowWine Fair in Bologna at the start of 2023. Although primarily devoted to natural wines, the editors of the SlowWine Guide (part of the editorial arm of the Slow Food organization) included a small pavilion devoted to craft spirits producers—and Scuppoz was one of the stars of the show! Husband-wife team Adriano Cicconi and Anna Iannetti were under siege (to put it mildly), pouring tastes of their handmade creations for a discerning crowd of sommeliers, retailers, and connoisseurs. Located just outside Teramo, Abruzzo—not far from legendary vintners such as Emidio Pepe and Valentini—Scuppoz offers express transport to the bucolic Valle Castellana, where Adriano's family has run a destination osteria for generations. Their flagship Amaro della Laga, formulated by Adriano's father decades ago, is only the beginning—there are also game-changing renditions of Amaretto, Limoncello, and Anice, among other creations. The best word for these all-natural spirits is “homemade.” Prepare to be blown away!

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VETZ APERITIVO SUPERIORE

One of the many ways we're shaking up a stagnant aperitivo category.

Ready to Spritz Different? This amber-hued, low-a.b.v. aperitivo liqueur was conceived exactly for that purpose. Developed in the aperitivo capital of the world—Milan—and produced using only natural ingredients at one of Piedmont's most historic distilleries, Vetz has enlisted the help of star bartender/brand ambassador Beppe Mancini to spread the word in Milan and beyond. It delivers a completely different Spritz experience, with more warm spice, vanilla, and hibiscus flower notes than its more bitter/citrus peel contemporaries. As a cocktail modifier, its possibilities are endless. Let's face it, the aperitivo/bitter category has been dominated by two brands for too long: It's time to shake things up!

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DISTILLERIA ERBORISTICA ALPINA

Traditional, herb-infused mountain spirits from the Piedmontese Alps.

As the name suggests, “Alpine” spirits are what this tiny distillery is all about—and, more specifically, spirits that transmit the flavors and culture of Piedmont's Val di Susa, a mountainous valley west of Turin. Here, not far from the border with France, Maurizio Zara and team produce specialties like the ethereal Genepy Chaberton, which is crafted using Artemisia flowers harvested at more than 2,000 meters of elevation. And let's not get into whether Genepy is “Italian” or “French”; it's an Alpine elixir that knows no boundaries, and Chaberton is a best-in-class rendition.

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OLD SAILOR COFFEE LIQUEUR

Authentic Italian coffee liqueur with a story to tell.

Conceived and crafted by Levante Spirits, makers of Ginepraio Gin, Old Sailor is a tribute to the fishermen of San Benedetto del Tronto, Marche, a port on the Adriatic Coast where co-creator Fabio Macaretti grew up. A popular drink here was “Caffé del Marinario,” a fortifying potion favored by sailors that combined coffee, rum, anise liqueur, and a twist of orange. The formulation of Old Sailor is a sophisticated riff on this old-school classic: Ground coffee from the oldest roastery in Italy, Torrefazione Barbera, is mixed with Columbian Rum and two hydro-alcoholic infusions—one of organic Mandarin oranges, the other of Anice Verde di Castignano, an anise variety native to Le Marche and recognized by the Slow Food Presidium. Old Sailor also contains far less sugar than most coffee liqueurs, helping bartenders avoid the pitfalls of too-sweet Espresso Martinis and other cocktails.

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CASONI FABBRICAZIONE LIQUORI

One of Italy's most historic brands has found an enthusiastic audience in the US.

Founded in 1814, Casoni is nothing short of iconic—a distillery and fabbrica that came back into family hands in 2016 and is poised to reclaim the international notoriety that defined the company in its early incarnations. Casoni's production includes everything from classic aperitivi and traditional liqueurs to unique specialties like vermouth paired with balsamic vinegar following an ancient Modena tradition. Authentic products, naturally made and reasonably priced: If you didn't know, now you know!

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Casoni's “Frutto Amaro”

1 oz. Casoni L'Aperitivo 1814

1 oz. Casoni Il Bitter 1814

1 oz. Tomaso Agnini Balsamic Vinegar Vermouth

3 oz. soda

Stir ingredients in an ice-filled mixing glass and strain into an ice-filled Collins or tumbler glass. Garnish with wild blackberries.

THE JIGGER SOCIETY

Cocktail culture meets wine culture in a collaboration between a celebrated cocktail bar and one of the greatest Lambrusco producers in Emilia-Romagna.

The Jigger Society pairs the creative team behind Jigger Spiriti e Cucina, an award-winning cocktail bar in Reggio Emilia, with Alessandro Medici, fifth-generation proprietor of the Ermete Medici wine estate. It's already produced a stunning Vermouth and an exotic Old Tom Gin, and it's only the beginning. This is a young venture on the come-up, fusing the latest trends in mixology with a deep respect for ingredients and tradition.

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DISTILLERIA MARZADRO

A legendary distillery in the Italian Dolomites readies for a major star turn in the US.

Perched near the Adige River at the base of the Italian Dolomites, Marzadro is a landmark distillery in Trentino dating to 1949. In addition to being one of Italy's most acclaimed grappa producers, this gorgeous, family-run property also crafts a stunning variety of liqueurs and other distillates—all of them incorporating carefully sourced ingredients from this bucolic mountain region.

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PUNI

Meticulously hand-crafted malt whiskies from the magnificent Venosta Valley.

Italian malt whisky, you say? Yes, you heard that right. Taking cues from the great malt whisky distilleries of Scotland, Albrecht and Jonas Ebensperger launched their dream project in 2010, a first-of-its-kind distillery set amid a magnificent Alpine landscape in northern-most Italy. Using stills that were custom-fabricated at the venerable Forsyths in Scotland, the Ebenspergers burst onto the international whisky scene with products of sublime finesse and detail. If you're surprised to see malt whiskies from Italy, don't be: Is there anything the Italians can't do?

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DISTILLERIE MOCCIA

Discover Zabov, one of Italy's most unique and iconic liqueur brands.

It's impossible to miss the signature bottle and unmistakable color of Zabov when it shows up on a backbar: And in Italy, this luscious zabaglione-in-a-bottle has been a staple of smartly outfitted backbars since the 1960s. After meeting Distillerie Moccia's proprietor, Cinzia Ori, and tasting her iconic calling card, Zabov, we weren't only smitten but a little shocked that this historic egg liqueur wasn't already widely distributed in the US. Among its many applications is the legendary “winter warmer” cocktail known as the Bombardino—a favorite of skiers throughout the Italian Alps. Whether it's just Zabov on its own topped with whipped cream or Zabov further fortified with brandy, whiskey, or rum, this “instant eggnog” is a must-try, and a must-have.

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