To discover and learn about Piemonte, one should not forget to use taste and smell among the various senses. Piemonte is, in fact, a great land of wines and spirits with unique characteristics that have their roots in very ancient traditions.
The Region offers different varieties of alcohol products: from liqueurs and spirits that come from wine, such as Vermut and high quality Grappa, worthy of the excellent vines from which they are derived. The many aromatic and officinal herbs, cultivated or wild, from the many alpine valleys, give life to Genepy and the Gentian Liquor that bring us back to old local traditions, to the tastes and knowledge that they represent, to the dimensions and the atmospheres of family life and crafts.
In the "Cichet", a typical liqueur glass of Piemonte, it is possible to taste:
- The Garus Susino, obtained from a mixture of exotic spices, arrived in the Val di Susa in the Middle Ages. Its ingredients are: myrrh, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, aloe, maidenhair, raw cane sugar, orange flower water and saffron. The alcohol content varies from 20% to 40% vol.
- The Genepy, obtained from alcohol maceration of alpine artemisia, essentially Artemisia Mutellina, Artemisia Glacialis and similar species, alcohol, water and sugar. It has an alcohol content of 30 to 42% vol.
- The Genepy del Moncenisio or Genepy des Alpes , which differs from the natural Genepy liqueur since it is obtained by a distillation of a mixture, not only of artemisia, but also of alpine herbs like mutellina and related species, hyssop, achillea moscata, officinal lavender, sage, peppermint, angelica, wild thyme and germander. Alcohol content varies from 25 to 35% vol.
- The Grappa, distilled with a bain-marie Piemonte alembic, once called "Branda", is obtained from fermented marc, obtained from Piemonte grapes. It generally has a round, balanced aroma without any roughness, often characterised by a note of jam. Its colour is bright white for young grappas and a more or less intense straw yellow for the aged ones. Alcohol content varies between 40 and 45% vol.
- The Alpine Herbs Liqueurs are typical of the province of Cuneo. Among these, we can mention: Amaro Dragonet, Amaro Chiot, Saint Veran, Genzianella, Elisir di Genziana ed Erbe Alpine, Achillea Moscata, Centerbe. They are obtained from alcohol infusion of various mountain and officinal herbs: Achillea moscata; Artemisia; Caraway seeds; Male Genepy; Gentiane root; Gentianella flowers; Juniper berries; Imperatoria root; Peppermint; Mountain Thyme. The products have a natural colouring, characterised by more or less intense shades.
- The Nocciolino di Chiasso prepared with hazelnuts of the “Tonda Gentile delle Langhe” variety. It is an amber-coloured liqueur with a sweet taste. It has an alcohol content of 24% vol.
- The olio Essenziale Di Menta Piperita Piemonte (Peppermint Essential Oil of Piemonte) is obtained by steam distillation of the whole green plant coming from the cultivation of black peppermint. The essential oil has a limpid aspect, colourless or straw-yellow, very fluid, a strong and penetrating aroma, characteristic of mint, a peppery taste and leaves a persistent sensation of freshness in the mouth followed by a slight bitterness.
- The Ratafià of Andorno is a liqueur made from black cherries, with moderate alcohol content (26% vol.). It has a red-brown colour, a pleasantly sweet and aromatic taste and is characterised by an alcohol content of 26% vol.
- The Rosolio which literally means Rose Oil, is a liqueur with low alcohol content and high sugar content (around 50%) that can have as a basic flavour one of the following: angelica, anise, orange, absinthe, cocoa, coffee, cinnamon, cassis, cedar, rose, celery, tea and vanilla.
- The Vermouth is an aromatised wine and owes its name to the absinthe that is used in its preparation and gives it a distinctive aroma and a special bitter taste. The substances used to flavour it are leaves, flowers, seeds, roots, bulbs and barks of different plants. The most important aromatic herbs are Artemisia or Absinthe varieties.
