The Tasting Panel magazine

PHOTO: TOM ZASADZINSKI PHOTO: LEIGH CASTELLI PHOTO: LEIGH CASTELLI very Italian." For Mariselli, di Amore offers the complete package: "The price is so good, and we are able to pass that on to our customers, but I love so much about it. I love the shape of the bottle, the amore, the love, the heart. The bottle is so beautiful—it looks like you're walking on a wet floor." While Mariselli has fallen in love with di Amore, it's clear that his clientele has as well, thanks to a series of dessert cocktails such as the Café Amaretto and the White Chocolate Cupcake, both popular menu items that highlight the Amaretto's mixability. But with a high quality product, it's great on the rocks too, explains Mariselli, who says that's a popular way the brand has been enjoyed as well. From off-premise bargains to on-premise quality that translates to savings for bars and their clientele, di Amore has proven that it has what it takes to continue to succeed with a bright future. "We have given the brand a facelift," says Logan, referring to that updated packaging Mariselli likes so much, "and we will continue to introduce di Amore to new consumers, whether they create their own cocktail at home or are master mixologists on-premise." With such a bright future in the marketplace, we're sure to find more and more reasons to fall in love with di Amore. di Amore is available from Sazerac Company. At Mega Liquor in Hemet, CA, Owner Victor Maidah loves di Amore's value—and so do his customers. "People will come in looking for an Amaretto," he says, "and they're on a budget. And then they'll taste it and like it even better than something they used to get!" According to Maidah, di Amore is the perfect solution: "di Amore is a product that, if you base it against its main rival, is a great choice for our clientele. It's a very good product for the category, and in a store like mine, we don't focus on name brands—we focus on what makes sense for our customers." What makes sense for Maidah's customers is a product line that is classic, yet modern, and di Amore fits the bill: di Amore Amaretto is the brand's largest seller by volume, followed by Sambuca, Raspberry and recently-released Quattro Orange. "The di Amore cordials popularity directly reflects the popularity of their flavor profiles within the cordials category," explains Logan. Amaretto is a popular choice on-premise as well, and at Stella's Serious Italian in Monarch Beach, CA, di Amore Amaretto is a natural choice. There, Southern California din- ers have fallen for Chef Marco Mariselli's authentic Italian fare and have found that Amaretto-based dessert cocktails are the ideal end to a fabulous meal. Mariselli turns to di Amore, first and foremost, because of the quality of the product. "It's a really beautiful flavor," says the Italian-born chef whose passion for cooking has had him working in some of California's finest kitchens. "It's classic, delicious, and yes, At Stella's Serious Italian in Monarch Beach, CA, desserts like a classic Sicilian cannoli are paired with di Amore cocktails, or on the rocks. Chef Marco Mariselli puts the finishing touches on the desserts he pairs with di Amore Amaretto. "I love the flavor!" he says. january/february 2012 / the tasting panel / 7

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