Italicus – Rosolio di Bergamotto 70cl Bottle

Italicus is lightly citrus on the nose with hints of rose and lavender. On the palate, fresh tones of ripe citrus fruits are balanced with a light bitter and floral spice before giving way to a complex and long-lasting finish. Traditionally served with equal amounts of Italicus and Prosecco poured over ice in a large wine glass, and garnished with three green olives. The UKs leading authority in Italian spirits, Giuseppe Gallo, has announced the launch of Italicus Rosolio di Bergamotto in an exclusive portfolio of on-trade accounts. Capitalising on the worldwide trend of aperitivo, Giuseppe has selected London, Milan and New York City to lead the global revival of Rosolio with the launch of his brand new liquid, Italicus a modern take on this forgotten category. Capturing the Italian spirit whilst remaining faithful to the historic origins of Rosolio, the original Italian aperitivo once enjoyed by the King of Savoy, Italicus has been in development for almost a year and is masterfully created using a recipe which dates back to the late 1800s. So popular was Rosolio in the 19th Century that each of Italys regions had their own distinctive variations – enjoyed as the aperitivo of the people. Championing the humble bergamot fruit, Italicus is produced at a family-owned distillery established in 1906 in Moncalieri, Torino. Bergamot from the UNESCO-protected area in the Calabrian region and cedro from Sicilia are infused in cold water to release their essential oils, in a time honoured process called Sfumatura, before being blended with Italian neutral grain spirit. A delicate combination of Roman chamomile from Lazio, lavender, gentian, yellow roses and melissa balm from Northern Italy are then macerated together for several days before being married with the bergamot and cedro essential oils to create the final liquid. Italicus founder Giuseppe Gallo comments, This is an incredible moment in my career and Im very pleased to share it with some of the best in the business, who Im proud to call my friends. The launch of Italicus marks the end of a life-long ambition to bring back the Rosolio category which was first born during the renaissance with Caterina de Medici in Firenze. Italicus is personal to me as Ive introduced elements of my own familys recipes that go back many generations. Over the past few years I have sourced some of the finest ingredients that my beloved Italy has to offer, including the unique taste of cedri from Sicilia and of course the wonderful bergamot from Calabria. It has been my childhood dream to create the quintessential expression of what makes Italy the most remarkable and unforgettable country in the world for so many people, bottling the essence of La Bella Italia Rosolio means the dew of the sun and Italicus is truly a sip of Italy, bringing a forgotten category back to the cocktail industry at long last.