Tosolini Amaretto Saliza Liqueurs 70 cl (Packaging May Vary)

Product Information

A delightful lightness and intense yet elegant marzipan flavour with a caramellized nut note in the end. This authentic Amaretto is a refined almond distillate, harmonious, natural and incredibly balanced. It does indeed taste like a sweet yet lovely cookie, though there’s more vanilla and a hint of cake frosting on the finish than you might expect; that said, it pairs beautifully with the almond notes up front, reminding me of a marzipan-frosted princess cake at times. Finish: Long with intense almond slowly dissipating to leave a pleasant hint of ginger at the finale.

It’s pure marzipan on the nose, but the palate takes a sharp turn, turning boldly chocolatey and offering a more brooding and aggressive roasted nut composition. I have teamed up with my friends from Distillery Bepi Tosolini to give one lucky reader a chance to find out just how delicious Amaretto Salizà is. This Amaretto takes its name from the Salizada or Salizà Pignatter, where there is an arc which is set with a red heart-shaped stone: the legend has it that couples who come together they will love forever.Our amaretto is made as the traditional and artisanal recipe, by infusing almonds in alcohol for a couple of weeks and then distilling with a special still used for botanical extraction. The Tosolini family are committed to preserving and refining the knowledge that their grandfather Bepi acquired from the master distillers of the territory of Friuli. As expected, almond is the predominant flavour, expertly balanced by notes of orange, marzipan, orange zest, hints of ginger and honey and a very slight bitterness to offset the sweetness. In fact, the steam still does not “burn” the marc or the grapes, but instead delicately transports the alcoholic vapours to the top of the device, allowing a pure and aromatic distillate to be obtained.

On the nose aromas of freshly ground almonds toffee and orange peel dominate whilst the palate is light indulgent and silky in style with a long finish. Bepi Tosolini Saliza is a traditionally made Italian amaretto made with crushed almonds rather than concentrates or extracts. A budget bottling, it noses with sweet, fresh almond paste notes, but what hits the palate here is surprisingly loaded with a big chocolate character, tempered by more almond extract and a hint of ripe banana. This is the venetian legend behinh the Amaretto Salizà, a true almond distillate and a unique recipe without colourings and artificial aromas created by master distiller Bepi Tosolini.

Naturally, Disaronno also lays claim to being the original amaretto liqueur, this one born as a love potion invented in the 1500s. We’ve chosen a classic Italian almond-flavoured example: Salizá Amaretto Veneziano from Bepi Tosolini. While nose is loaded with almonds, there’s definitely a fruitier note on the palate here, though it’s well-integrated with the nuttier components and a hint of sweetened coconut milk. Luxardo Amaretto di Saschira– Italian, made from the pits of apricots, peaches, and — fittingly — cherries. The sweetness here is par for the group, but it’s complemented by the fruitiness, which does indeed offer a distinct note of Marasca cherry — and which works surprisingly well, especially as a mixer.

Here’s our official ranking, from best to worst — though in all fairness, none of these liqueuers were unpalatable. Lazzaroni has a bold almond nose, with gentle notes of vanilla and some light maple syrup elements evident. Its candy bar character makes it the most dessert-like amaretto in this bunch, and at a whopping 21% alcohol, it feels tailor made for dumping over ice cream. The ancient art acquired by Master Distiller Bepi Tosolini continues to live on in the professional commitment that is displayed by the entire family, from Giovanni, who now heads the company, to his grandchildren Giuseppe, Bruno and Lisa. Salizada refers to one of the first paved streets in Venice, where you can still find a red stone in the shape of a heart.Like Luxardo, there’s a distinct fruitiness on the nose here, with sweet marzipan notes vying for position. Tempus Fugit’s version is made in Switzerland, and it’s one of a very small number of brands you’ll find on the market.