Liqueur Cabinet: A Series of Libations featuring Madison Cellars liqueur selections #21

Rosolio di Bergamotto

Here's a new and pretty Italian liqueur with the bright taste of bergamot.  While it predates the appearance of amaro (Campari, Aperol) and vermouth in Italy, the lost recipe was reclaimed in 2016 by Italicus.

Here's what Men's Journal has to say about this libation:

Go ahead, you’d be correct to judge this liqueur by its superb aquamarine bottle that will shine on your bar cart. Italicus is crafted with bergamotto, which is a citrus that’s similar to an orange in size but has a green-yellow peel rich in essential oils. Through a process known as “Sfumatura,” the peels are infused in cold water, releasing bittersweet essential oils. It’s then blended with other botanicals, like Roman chamomile from Lazio, and lavender and yellow roses from Northern Italy. The liqueur adds a nice complexity to summer spritzes. Or you could make a simple beer cocktail with one part Italicus, four parts of your favorite IPA. In a cocktail world of age-old spirits, Italicus is a newcomer: It was born in 2016, and quickly garnered recognition including a “Best New Spirit” honor at Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Awards.

 Italicus Spritz

This rosolio, or lighter Italian liqueur, is flavoured (amongst other things) with bergamot, chamomile, aromatic herbs and rose petals. It has a balance of honeyed sweetness with bitterness, a great new one to try in a spritz.