Amaro Nonino Quintessentia is a digestif amaro produced in Friuli, in northern Italy. It is grappa-based and infused with a rich blend of herbs, spices, and roots, including gentian, saffron, licorice, rhubarb, sweet and bitter orange, tamarind, quassia bark, cinchona bark, and galenga, among other ingredients. The liqueur presents a light reddish-brown color and is bottled at 70 proof (35% ABV).
Quintessentia embodies the idea of a perfected family recipe that has been handed down through generations. The base spirit begins as the distillery’s own grappa, aged in a variety of European oak casks to develop depth and nuance. This grappa foundation is then infused with an undisclosed blend of herbs and botanicals, chosen to balance sweetness with bitter warmth and to create a harmonious, lingering finish. The result is a refined, approachable amaro that evokes autumnal warmth and a touch of rustic elegance, suitable for sipping neat, on the rocks, or as a component in complex cocktails. The label’s name—Quintessentia—suggests the essence of the quintessence of the family’s craft, distilled into a single, cohesive liqueur that captures multiple generations of practice and flavor.