Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/391612
100 / the tasting panel / october 2014 Nonino Amaro Quintessentia Crafted with a portion of Nonino Grape Distillate, infused with herbs from the mountains of Friuli and aged in barriques, this amaro is rich amber in appearance, with spiced orange and clove on the nose, anise-like bitterness wrapped in caramelized sugar cane on the palate and a lingering, indulgent and luxurious finish. Enjoy neat or on ice. Rhubarb & Rye Nook Kitchen, Phoenix, AZ ◗ 1 oz. Amaro Nonino ◗ 1½ oz. Knob Creek Rye ◗ 6 dashes of rhubarb bitters ◗ Add all ingredients to shaker with ice. Shake and strain over fresh ice into a Collins glass. Garnish with an orange twist. Nonino Negroni The Partisan, Washington, D.C. ◗ 1 oz. Amaro Nonino ◗ 1½ oz. Plymouth Gin ◗ 1 oz. Dolin Blanc ◗ Add all ingredients to mixing glass. Add ice and stir. Strain over fresh ice into your favorite cocktail glass. Garnish with an orange twist. PHOTO: GRACE STUFKOSKY PHOTO: MARK FINKENSTAEDT a great addition to our program here," explains Faile. Faile is no stranger to this Italian spirit: "I fell into amaro a number of years back—before it was the bar- tender's darling—so it is nice to be one of the only places in the States to have it on the tap system, to really champion the brand." Amaro Nonino is a rather large part of the service culture at The Partisan, where it is sometimes served tableside in 50-ml. bottles for special occasions and to VIP guests. "People are surprised by the Nonino Amaro—it is soft and smooth—where the expectation is for amaro to be bitter and unapproach- able," notes Faile. "I love that it is able to be a perfect foil to many, many different other spirits and ingredients." PHOTO: GRACE STUFKOSKY PHOTO: GRACE STUFKOSKY The Nonino Legacy In a time when grappa was primarily a beverage for the work- ers, Giannola Nonino sought to change the way people viewed the spirit and elevate it to a new level. Wanting to make single- variety grappa, Giannola approached the farmers and workers for advice and help, and when they brushed her off, she approached their wives. These women began helping Giannola separate the pomace so that the distillation process was much more refined and elegant. 1973 marked the first release of the Nonino single-varietal grappa, and they picked up momentum rapidly. Never content to rest on her laurels, Giannola pushed forward, reinventing and growing and reinventing again, until now, over 40 years later, the family produces well over a dozen single-varietal grappas—distilled from fresh pomace—and with an eye for quality that is evident in each of their spirits.