Best Buy. A little bit of this amber liqueur goes a long way. Concentrated marzipan and amaretto cookies wind into a cocoa- and vanilla-laced finish. The formula includes orange and grapefruit peel, but it's imperceptible.
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While Italy is certainly well-known for its wine, the country also has a storied history of making distilled spirits, the beginnings of which date back to the Middle Ages. Many of the early concoctions were created to treat or prevent a wide array of ailments and involved steeping herbs and plants in wine to extract the holistic qualities of the ingredients. With the introduction of high-proof grain alcohol and the proliferation of sugar in the 1600 – 1700s, these bitter “medicines” had evolved from their rustic beginnings into products of regular consumption and production.
The 1800s brought an era of progress in chemistry which fueled the study and creation of actual medicines, thereby making herbal liquors fairly obsolete in the cure of illnesses. While many bitters were still appreciated for their medicinal qualities, they were largely non-palatable straight, so it became the fashion to mix them with a bit of whisky, water and sugar, thus giving birth to the first “cocktails.” The 1890s saw the golden age of the production of bitter and luxury liqueurs in Italy with the publication of recipes and books on the subject. The use of flavorings and colorants also became more prevalent, underscoring the consumers desire for consistency of color and taste.
Our producer story begins in 1948 when Fernuccio di Bernard established Distilleria dell’Alpe in Bastia d’Alpago, a small hillside village in the sweeping Cansiglio forest of the Eastern Italian Alps. One of the first artisanal producers of Italian gin, Fernuccio deeply understood the traditional nature of spirits, but he also was an innovator and craftsman. Among the many products he created, he patented an enigmatic juniper-based liqueur, Kapriol, commonly known as a Distillato del Bosco or a “distillate of the forest.” Authentic, delicious, and undeniably unique, Kapriol became an iconic spirit for the region.
In 2002 the Maschio family, historical Prosecco and Grappa producers from the nearby town of Conegliano, purchased Distilleria dell’Alpe with the intention of developing a variety of liqueurs and traditional spirits of the area. They quickly revived the original Kapriol Classico liqueur from 1948 as well as another of de Bernard’s signature recipes, the remarkable Rosen Bitter, an aperitivo originally created in 1951. The Rosen Bitter, known originally as rosa alpina, was made through a distillation and infusion of a dozen typical alpine herbs and plants like alpine rose and bay leaf.
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NOVEMBER 2025
Distilleria dell'Alpe Amaretto del Cansiglio Liquore
![]() Best Buy. A little bit of this amber liqueur goes a long way. Concentrated marzipan and amaretto cookies wind into a cocoa- and vanilla-laced finish. The formula includes orange and grapefruit peel, but it's imperceptible. 90
NOVEMBER 2025
Distilleria dell'Alpe Kapriol Liquore
![]() Described by producer as a "Distillato del Bosco" (distillate of the forest), this clear, crème de menthe-y liqueur has the faintest juniper waft. The sweet, herbal palate includes hints of bergamot and celery leaf, finishing with distinct caraway and peppermint. 93
NOVEMBER 2025
Distilleria dell'Alpe Amaro del Cansiglio
![]() Best Buy. This alpine amaro has an orange-amber and faintly minty scent. The palate opens quite sweet, with a maple note, then leans into flavors of bitter almond, bitter orange peel and pith, and finishes bracingly minty. 96
NOVEMBER 2024
Distilleria dell'Alpe Amaretto del Cansiglio Liquore
![]() This 56-proof artisan amaretto made from Sicilian sweet and bitter almonds, Calabrian orange peel, grapefruit peel, sugar and fresh Alpine water rests eight months in small French barrels to deliver a delicious concoction of pure almond goodness that is amber in color and balanced in sweetness 96
NOVEMBER 2024
Distilleria dell'Alpe Kapriol Liquore
![]() Described by the brand as a "distillate of the forest" this 76-proof clear spirit evokes the crisp, citrus-tinged aroma of gin, with touches of juniper, pine and candied ginger: Lovely and complex, it's gentle on the palate, with quenching acidity and a sweet herbal finish. 93
NOVEMBER 2025
Distilleria dell'Alpe Rosen Bitter
![]() Best Buy. A rosy-red bitter without artificial colors to mix into Negronis and more. Raspberry is one of the components, adding a jam touch amid the bittersweet palate, which finishes with brisk touches of gentian and cranberry like pucker. |