Amaro Nonino Quintessentia
Amaro Nonino Quintessentia is the flagship amaro of Nonino Distillatori in Percoto, Friuli — 35% ABV (70 proof), 750mL, an infusion of herbs, spices, fruit, berries and roots enriched with the family's ÙE® grape distillate, itself aged at least twelve months in Nevers, Limousin and ex-Sherry barriques. It is available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor.
- ABV: 35% (70 proof)
- Size: 750mL (US bottling)
- Base: Herbs, spices, fruit, berries and roots, with ÙE® grape distillate
- Aging: The grape-distillate component ages 12+ months in Nevers, Limousin and ex-Sherry barriques
- Origin: Percoto, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy (Nonino Distillatori)
- Heritage: Recipe lineage from Amaro Carnia (1933); Quintessentia created 1992
From a 1933 Mountain Amaro to the Paper Plane
The Nonino family's amaro began in 1933, when Antonio Nonino infused Friulian mountain herbs into his own grappa as Amaro Carnia; his wife Silvia — remembered by the house as the first woman master distiller — widened the recipe with exotic botanicals, and in 1992 the next generation replaced the grappa base with barrique-aged ÙE® grape distillate to create Quintessentia, the "purest essence" its Latin name promises. The label's cup is the Bowl of Hygeia, a nod to amaro's medicinal roots. In 2007 New York bartender Sam Ross built the Paper Plane around it, and the bottle has been a modern-classic fixture since. Stock it from our liqueurs collection, or explore the family's grappas on the Amaro Nonino vendor page.
Tasting Notes
Nose: Orange zest and bitter-orange marmalade with thyme, menthol and an exotic mango note (Falstaff notes quoted by the producer). Palate: A sweet-and-bitter balance with pepper and liquorice. Finish: A cocoa aftertaste under the bitterness.
How to Enjoy
The house serves it at room temperature as a digestif, or on the rocks with an orange slice as an aperitif. In cocktails it is non-negotiable for a Paper Plane — equal parts amaro, bourbon, Aperol and lemon.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is in Amaro Nonino Quintessentia? A proprietary infusion of herbs, spices, fruit, berries and roots, enriched with Nonino's ÙE® grape distillate — the full recipe is a family secret, as it has been since the formula's 1933 ancestor.
Is it aged? The grape-distillate component is aged a minimum of twelve months in barriques of Nevers and Limousin oak and small ex-Sherry casks before blending. (A whole-product 24-month aged version exists separately as the Riserva.)
What cocktail is it famous for? The Paper Plane, created by Sam Ross in New York in 2007 — a modern classic built on this amaro.
Friuli's modern-classic amaro — order Amaro Nonino Quintessentia online from Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA.