Nocino

L

Levi Dalton

Levi Dalton
Thought it might be worthwhile to share some notes on the two nocino that are available with any sort of regularity in the United States at the moment (leaving aside the terrible Toschi Nocello).

Russo Nocino (Campania, Italia)

A lighter style in both color and palate weight that shows some nuance and notes of vegetation that I find appealing. I especially like the nose here, and could smell this for a long time. I should say that I could smell it for a long time once I got over the initial alcohol burn of the aromatics. Once that lifted alcohol note has been adjusted for, a lot of the cinnamon and walnut character comes out on the nose. On the palate it has been sweetened to much for my taste (the ingredient list on the back lists sugar as a major component), which is too bad, because you can tell that it would be that much better if the sweetness were dialed back, as all the raw material is there. I think that what I like the most about this Nocino is the small detail of different spice and vegetal notes, and those have only been obscured by a heavy hand with the sweetener. $25-$35 a bottle (750ml) depending on who you get it from

Aggazzotti "Notte di S. Giovanni" Nocino (Emilia-Romagna, Italia)

A much more concentrated style than the Russo, with a darker color and much more viscous texture to match. Of course this makes sense when you realize it is from Modena, home of aged Balsalmic. The aromatics are a bit shy, but the palate is commanding and quite impressive. There is a rich character to the flavor, and a corresponding depth. And there is the bitter note that reminds one that what we have here is a product of Italy. Notably excellent. $44-49 a bottle (750ml) depending on you source, there are 3 L's of this out there
 
originally posted by Florida Jim:
'Never heard of these.
Thanks, Jim
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Walnut Liqueur. I get the impression that there are many several in available in Italy. In the US, however, examples are somewhat difficult to find.
 
The only nocino I have had in Italy was of the homemade variety and always seemed a bit thick and goopy to me; but I have difficulty with high levels of alcohol across the board. It is quite possible that this is the effect of added sugar. I think the nuts were sourced in Liguria, but I will check again when I am back later this month.
 
Sounds intriguing, Levi. Any idea how the locals use this stuff? Sounds high ABV..so is it an espresso additive?

Partially answered q: "Nocino is believed to have originally been produced by the Celts, and, during the Middle Ages, Italian monasteries used nocino for its medicinal properties and also as an alcoholic treat."
 
Yeah, I think that if you sort of considered it as a subset of amaro, then you would be on the right track. Mostly we serve it neat at the restaurant, as a digestivo, although I could see it being added to that last bit of espresso and drunk together, as is sometimes done with grappa. Or I could see it paired with cheese. Or I could see something lighter in style like the Russo being served with tonic water and a orange slice as an aperitivo. A fuller style, like the Aggazzotti, might make an excellent accompaniment to vanilla gelato, either over the top of it, or as an added ingredient in the gelato itself. It seems like it might make for an excellent affogato ingredient. But as the cost of the Aggazzotti, for instance, is rather high, and as I am a purist coming from a wine background, I usually drink it by itself. It really takes me to Italy in a way.

I would note that there are also a couple of walnut liqueurs made in California, which is perfectly sensible given the climate there and the number of walnut trees planted.
 
TreR Nocino (Emilia-Romagna) Very spicy-sweet, like one of those hundred-year barrel-aged stickies from Australia. The texture is of something balsamic. Theres not all that much actual walnut aroma, though the skin bitterness of the nut is certainly present. And it finishes in or perhaps on fire. I like the idea, but the alcohols just too dominant for my tastes. (4/09)
 
I had Aggazzotti for the first time the other day, first as an aperitif (shaken very hard with crushed ice, served up in a cocktail glass), then in a mixed cocktail. I loved the bitter walnut skin flavors and bitterness on its own. It doesn't quite have the viscosity of PX but what does. Great stuff.

The mixed cocktail was interesting as well.

DIGESTIF cocktail
Aggazzotti, Fernet Branca, fresh lemon, simple syrup,
absinthe, blood orange bitters, over ice, mescal float

Seemingly strange combination but it worked for me. Exceedingly bitter to start with the aggazzotti, herbal bitters from the fernet branca and citrus bitters, then that walnut skin tannic structure, the lemon cut through pretty well and the anise showing up at the tail end.
 
originally posted by Joel Stewart:
Sounds intriguing, Levi. Any idea how the locals use this stuff? Sounds high ABV..so is it an espresso additive?

Partially answered q: "Nocino is believed to have originally been produced by the Celts, and, during the Middle Ages, Italian monasteries used nocino for its medicinal properties and also as an alcoholic treat."
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For making Nocino Walnuts are picked on the night of San Giovanni from 23 to 24 of june. They are cut in pieces and soacked in alcohol - pure or grappa, depending on recipe - while the recipient is put out in the sun. Duration of soacking varies. The remaining liquor is stored in bottles or enriched with sugar, melasse and/or herbs. Every producer has his/her particular recipe.

While most Nocinos have sugar added, its the comercial/industrial Nocinos that have sugar added the most. Similar to Aceto Balsamico, ageing is fundamental for complexity and harmony. A good Nocino doesn't have much sugar added but should achieve balance and texture through ageing.

Soacking in alcohol leads to better flavors than soacking in grappa. Ageing - five to ten years+ - integrates the alcohol better. Sugar - cane or melasse - gives balance to the bitterness of the walnut skin but should be added very carefully.

Nocino is used as digestivo after caff or to aromatice deserts, it would be a pity to pour in the caff. Good aged Nocino is quite a treat but production cost is very high while demand rather low, so it is not easy to find.
 
Levi-

Have you had the Nux Alpina from Eric Seed's Haus Alpenz? Good balance when I've tasted it, but I've not done so among a larger line-up nor too critically. I'd be interested in how it compared.
 
originally posted by Seth Hill:
Levi-

Have you had the Nux Alpina from Eric Seed's Haus Alpenz? Good balance when I've tasted it, but I've not done so among a larger line-up nor too critically. I'd be interested in how it compared.
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I did try it awhile back. My understanding was that it wasn't Italian and thus that it was sort of out of my realm, but maybe I should look more closely back at my notes from that tasting.

Seed does have an Italian Poire William, though.
 
originally posted by Anders Gautschi:
originally posted by Joel Stewart:
Sounds intriguing, Levi. Any idea how the locals use this stuff? Sounds high ABV..so is it an espresso additive?

Partially answered q: "Nocino is believed to have originally been produced by the Celts, and, during the Middle Ages, Italian monasteries used nocino for its medicinal properties and also as an alcoholic treat."
Click to expand...

For making Nocino Walnuts are picked on the night of San Giovanni from 23 to 24 of june. They are cut in pieces and soacked in alcohol - pure or grappa, depending on recipe - while the recipient is put out in the sun. Duration of soacking varies. The remaining liquor is stored in bottles or enriched with sugar, melasse and/or herbs. Every producer has his/her particular recipe.

While most Nocinos have sugar added, its the comercial/industrial Nocinos that have sugar added the most. Similar to Aceto Balsamico, ageing is fundamental for complexity and harmony. A good Nocino doesn't have much sugar added but should achieve balance and texture through ageing.

Soacking in alcohol leads to better flavors than soacking in grappa. Ageing - five to ten years+ - integrates the alcohol better. Sugar - cane or melasse - gives balance to the bitterness of the walnut skin but should be added very carefully.

Nocino is used as digestivo after caff or to aromatice deserts, it would be a pity to pour in the caff. Good aged Nocino is quite a treat but production cost is very high while demand rather low, so it is not easy to find.
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thanks for the detailed notes, Anders. it dawned on me while reading your post (and others') that the whole walnut, including the rind, seed shell, etc., was used for this concoction (not just the raw nut meat itself)....no wonder it's bitter. i came across this recipe just now (reminds me a bit of the green plum liqueur recipe, which is a household custom here in Japan...)

"This is something to make in June, if you are in Italy, or, in any case, before the walnuts have ripened. If you have access to a walnut tree, good. Otherwise, ask your greengrocer to procure about 30 nuts with their rinds. Don't be surprised if the rinds are bright green; they should be, because the nuts are immature. Once you have the nuts, wash them well and assemble the remaining ingredients:
Ingredients:

1 1/2 quarts grain alcohol (190 proof or 95%)
1 1/2 pounds (3 cups) sugar
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
10 cloves
l pint water
rind of one lemon, cut into strips
Preparation:

Begin by quartering the nuts with a heavy-bladed knife or a cleaver. Do this on a non-absorbent surface, and wear gloves: though walnut juice is colorless when it comes out of the nut, exposure to the air turns it into dark brown walnut stain that will not come off. Put the nuts with the remaining ingredients in a jar, cover it tightly, and put it in a warm, dark place for 40 days, shaking it every two or three days.

Once the nuts have steeped taste the nocino. If it's too strong for you dilute it with some spring water. Then line a funnel with filter paper and strain the nocino into bottles. Cork them, and age it for about six months in a cool dark place. It is wonderful at the end of a meal, or around a fire with friends. It also makes a perfect Christmas gift."
 
originally posted by Joel Stewart:
"This is something to make in June, if you are in Italy, or, in any case, before the walnuts have ripened. If you have access to a walnut tree, good. Otherwise, ask your greengrocer to procure about 30 nuts with their rinds. Don't be surprised if the rinds are bright green; they should be, because the nuts are immature.
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Right, so this was my question. Even in Campania, how ripe could the fruit (nuts) be on the 23rd of June? In my neighbourhood, I'm not sure you could even call them walnuts by then - and we are south of Emilia-Romagna (which apparently is irrelevant).

Even though Saint Jean-Baptiste is a very important date locally, c'est la fte nationale, yessir, we might be better off with the feast of Saint Mary Magdalene a month later. So, brother can you loan me a still. 'Cause the alcohol you want to soak your nuts in, well, there is a local monopoly on that.
 
I did try it awhile back. My understanding was that it wasn't Italian and thus that it was sort of out of my realm, but maybe I should look more closely back at my notes from that tasting.

Seed does have an Italian Poire William, though.
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The Nux Alpina and Purkhart Poire Williams come from the same distillery/bottler in the Sudtirol. Both are fine examples of their genres (though I sell them, so I have a bias).
 
originally posted by Jake Parrott:
I did try it awhile back. My understanding was that it wasn't Italian and thus that it was sort of out of my realm, but maybe I should look more closely back at my notes from that tasting.

Seed does have an Italian Poire William, though.
Click to expand...
The Nux Alpina and Purkhart Poire Williams come from the same distillery/bottler in the Sudtirol. Both are fine examples of their genres (though I sell them, so I have a bias).
Click to expand...

That is helpful to know, thank you.
 
So I had my first ever Nocino yesterday, just being in a certain place at a certain time. Presumably it was a commercial bottle, maybe one of those mentioned above. I loved it and didn't love it. It had almost a home-made quality to it, a bit rustic, not fully integrated - but delicious and inspiring. Maybe in about a year's time we will have a Hillier walnut-alcohol-infusion, which we won't call Nocino, to drink and blabber about on Wine Disorder.
 
originally posted by Jeff Connell:
So I had my first ever Nocino yesterday, just being in a certain place at a certain time. Presumably it was a commercial bottle, maybe one of those mentioned above. I loved it and didn't love it. It had almost a home-made quality to it, a bit rustic, not fully integrated - but delicious and inspiring. Maybe in about a year's time we will have a Hillier walnut-alcohol-infusion, which we won't call Nocino, to drink and blabber about on Wine Disorder.
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I suspect this may have been the Aggazzotti. A year may be about the right interval for the next evaluation.
 
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