Another highlight of our trip was heading to Cocconato in Asti to the Bava Distillery which houses one of our favourite Italian brands, Cocchi. A family-run company to this day, we were given a guided tour by Francesca Bava and were joined by her uncle (and Master Distiller) Paolo Bava for the tasting section of the tour.
Products
In a small tasting room in the middle of the factory floor, we are treated to a tasting of the range, everything from the full range of Vecchia Romagna (including the relatively Riserva Anniversario – a unique blend of old and new brandies the youngest of which had spent 23 years in oak) but with a big focus on the Amaro Montenegro.
Between 1840 and 1888 Carpano’s reputation grew and a glass of Carpano became the aperitif par excellence and Turin’s favourite drink. In 2001, the Branca family acquired Carpano.
Multi award-winning independent bottlers That Boutique-y Whisky Company are embarking once again on a tour Down Under with the release of their next batch of limited edition spirits from the best of Australia’s distillers – Return to Oz.
“It’s not an old-school product with 100 years of history, as it’s not a new world vermouth with an unusual compound in it, or an over-complicated structure. It’s my idea of a vermouth: traditional, talking about the core range, and modern, such as the Sakura and the Kopi.”
‘Aperitivo’ originates from the Latin word ‘Aperire’ meaning ‘to open your appetite’, and the word is evocative of Aperol, which was first introduced at the International Trade Fair of Padova, a lively and dynamic University town at the heart of Veneto
All the prep and hard work is done downstairs in the bespoke lab and kitchen. This is where they have a big ex-bourbon cask for ageing cocktails. At the time we were there a Brooklyn is in the barrel. Delicious.
In the bowels of the building is where you find the productions of everything from their brandy, Carpano, and of course, the Fernet Branca and Fernet Menthe. It’s a part of the building that is usually off limits for tours but it was so interesting to see the scale of the production
An avid agave spirits fan, Hayley Dixon suggests subbing in Angostura Reserva for tequila in a Paloma. “Simply drop the salt, and you have a tall and refreshing summer serve that is super simple to make,” she says.
Hickson Rd. Summer Cup embraces the growth of aperitifs and rosés as refreshing alternatives to elevate traditional wine occasions, and Australia’s thirst for lower-ABV, more sophisticated spirits serves.
Here are three cocktails from the team members Martin McConnell, Magnus Moore and Liam Murphy as well as an interview with co-owner Pete Hollands about the state of the Brisbane bar scene and what’s next for them in 2023.
The GlenDronach Grandeur Batch 11 is a 28 year old Single Malt hand-selected by Master Blender, Rachel Barrie, from a small number of rare Pedro Ximénez and Oloroso sherry casks.