Not well known to many outside Veneto, Mandorla has proved hugely popular in a range of UK tasting events involving the public as well as professional bar staff. While the almond aroma is well to the fore, Nardini employ a cherry distillate to balance the nut's naturally bitter flavour. As a result, Mandorla enjoys a slightly sweet aftertaste, making it a natural 'first-time' grappa for those new to the spirit. It's also ideal for espresso drinkers who choose not to take sugar with their coffee. Excellent as a 'sour' or an
- Alexander, Mandorla achieved the highest rating
- ' Superb'
- in the prestigious Paul Pacaults Spirit Review (2005). IWSC 2006 Silver Medal Winner.


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Pleasantly bitter-sweet with herbal & citric notes, Mezzoemezzo is a refined aperitif with a smooth, enveloping flavour. Mezzoemezzo literally means half-&-half in Italian. With origins dating back to the 1800s, Mezzoemezzo is a spirit-based Americano-style cocktail made from identical amounts of two stalwart Nardini products: Rosso, a bitter-sweet liqueur made from orange peel, vanilla & quinine (typically deployed in a Manhattan) & the extraordinary Rabarbaro which is derived from the Chinese rhubarb root & gentian. The classic serve sees Mezzoemezzo mixed with an equal amount of soda & garnished with a lemon twist, delivering a drink that is richer, less bitter, yet more complex than conventional Americano recipes. It has proved to be the most popular offering in the Grapperia on Bassanos famous Ponte Vecchio for over sixty years. While Mezzoemezzo has only been available in Italy as a pre-mixed cocktail since 2013, dozens of bars across the UK now offer the Mezzoemezzo using the Rosso/ Rabarbaro combination
- & the drink is featured & highly-rated in the latest, 12th edition of Diffords Guide. A simple & truly superb Negroni can be created using 2 parts Mezzoemezzo with one part gin stirred over ice with an orange garnish.
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Highly aromatic & delicious, with a unique flavour reminiscent of caramelised fruit, ' Rabarbaro' is derived largely from the Chinese rhubarb root, a component found in several leading Italian aperitivos. superb over ice or with soda, Rabarbaro can be mixed '50-50' with ' Rosso' & soda to make the ' Mezzo-Mezzo', a simple cocktail that has been enjoyed for many years in Nardini's legendary grapperia on the old bridge at Bassano. For some, better still is ' Mezzo-Mezzo Inglese', a variant with ' Nardini Bitter' that is proving increasingly popular amongst regulars at the grapperia. ...

Highly aromatic & delicious, with a unique flavour reminiscent of caramelised fruit, ' Rabarbaro' is derived largely from the Chinese rhubarb root, a component found in several leading Italian aperitivos. superb over ice or with soda, Rabarbaro can be mixed '50-50' with ' Rosso' & soda to make the ' Mezzo-Mezzo', a simple cocktail that has been enjoyed for many years in Nardini's legendary grapperia on the old bridge at Bassano. For some, better still is ' Mezzo-Mezzo Inglese', a variant with ' Nardini Bitter' that is proving increasingly popular amongst regulars at the grapperia. ...

Riserva 15 Anni is a prestigious bottling created to celebrate the 225th anniversary of the Nardini distillery in Bassano del Grappa. Launched in 2004, it became the first new product to be introduced by the distiller in 76 years. Aged for fifteen years in Slovanian oak, the grappa is soft & intense, with complex flavours bolstered by the remarkably long ageing period. Some say it is redolent of an Amagnac or even an Islay malt. Either way, it is very much a post-prandial grappa combining extremely well with strong dark cigars (wherever you may be allowed to do that sort of thing) Appearance: Deep golden colour, with amber reflections. Bouquet: Fragrant, distinct & full with overtones of wood & resin. Palate: Soft, intense & slightly sweet, complex aftertaste with hints of spice, vanilla & tobacco. ...

Laid up in Slovanian oak barrels for five years, Nardini Riserva enjoys a delicate sophistication that has made it hugely popular all over the world. The subtle wood ageing imbues a degree of sweetness & softness to this grappa on the palate, while delivering a delightful warmth in the swallow, which some people consider reminiscent of a lowland malt. Described as 'exquisite' by drinks writer Malcolm Gluck, ' Riserva' scooped a ' Best-in-Class' award in the 2006 International Wine & Spirit Competition. Ideal drinking temperature: between 16 & 18 degrees C (61 to 64 degrees F) Nose: supple oak gives structure to jasmine tea, cinnamon, lemon meringue & mixed fruit zest, extending with apple, pear skins & acacia honey. Palate: smooth, elegantly oily with distinct oaky tones, leading to jasmine tea, clove-baked apples & honey, animated by spicy cinnamon with lemon meringue hints. Finish: balanced oak, spice & cooked-fruit medley. (Tasting notes by Ian Wisniewski, London, June 2003 ) ...

Riserva 60 is an intensely-flavoured grappa. & if the high alcohol content demands respect, it also accentuates the essential flavours of a majestic taste profile. While ' Mighty 60' shares the same delicate nose of lemon & apple skins with Nardini's ' Classic' 50% grappa, the oak-ageing makes the effect on the palate surprisingly gentle. Then again, there are firm tobacco & spice notes added to the inherent ' Riserva' taste profile of cinnamon, baked apple & honey. As with Bianca 60, the finish is extremely long. Alongside an espresso, a dark cigar & an obligatory iced water, this grappa delivers an experience to be cherished. The cigar being optional of course. ...

Softer, richer & sweeter than ' Bitter', Rosso shares the same citric qualities, but replaces the natural sharpness of roman absinthe & bitter orange, with the additional ingredients of quinine & natural vanilla. Rosso is extremely accessible as a pre-prandial aperitivo, especially amongst those who find traditional bitter-sweet varieties too intense on the palate. It can be mixed 50-50 with ' Rabarbaro' to make the famous ' Mezzo-Mezzo' cocktail. ...

As its name implies, Tagliatella is a grappa-based 'cocktail' of complex flavours. While the aroma of fresh cherry juice predominates, the drink features natural ingredients deployed in a wide range of products in Nardini's grappa & aperitivo range. Fruity, with a well-calibrated bitter/sweet ratio, Tagliatella is typically enjoyed neat over ice, or with a splash of soda. It is especially refreshing as a summer drink
- the ' Bassano Mule'
- enjoyed long with ginger beer.

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A deep dark ruby red in colour, this wine has great concentration & personality. The nose is lush with blackcurrants, graphite, cherries & a soft hint of cedar. This Cabernet Sauvignon is vibrant & penetrating, with fine-grained tannins that are firm yet silky in texture, leading to balance & finesse. ...