Review: Vecchio Amaro del Capo
Vecchio Amaro del Capo - 35%
From Skurnik Wine & Spirits: The history of the Caffo family business dates back to the end of the nineteenth century, when Master Distiller Giuseppe Caffo (class of 1865) began distilling pomace on the side of volcanic Mount Etna. After years of experience managing distilleries, he bought an old distillery in Santa Venerina, Sicily, in 1915. He fully dedicated himself to his passion and passed his knowledge along to his children. Giuseppe’s son, Sebastiano Caffo, soon became a Master Distiller himself, and together, they founded the company ”Fratelli Caffo” with Sebastiano’s brother, Santo Caffo.
Initially, Caffo produced a small range of spirits distilled from grape (i.e. grappa). Gradually, they began producing liqueurs and classic Italian spirits such as Amaro, Limoncino, Amaretto, Sambuca, and aged Grappa; all of these time-honored recipes were the result of painstaking research and re-working by the brothers. After expanding their business, Fratelli Caffo established a new home in Limbadi, Calabria. In this part of Italy, known for its production of red wine, raw materials and resources for local distilling are abundant. Caffo’s approach remains driven by ingredients and agriculture, and today Grupo Caffo operates estate farms in Calabria and Sicily, solely to supply their spirit productions.
The marketing suggests that Caffo's Vecchio Amaro del Capo be consumed ice cold, but we'll be trying it room temp here to keep things level with my other amari tasting notes.
Notes: Lighter in style. Floral, juniper, and tea driven on the nose. Solid weight and sweetness up front that builds quickly into top notes of licorice and pine. Long bitter finish with eucalyptus providing the backbone.
Score: 7 (Highly Recommend) Even though the style is lighter, the elevated ABV and pronounced bitterness end up delivering a light but assertive style of amari that I find very engaging .
Rating System
10 - Reevaluate The Budget
9 - Stash Two (If Able)
8 - Stash One (At The Right Price)
7 - Highly Recommend It To Strangers
6 - Solid - Above Average
5 - Acceptable For The Situation
4 - Not Vocally Complaining
3 - Anything Else To Drink?
2 - Nothing Nice To Say
1 - Drain Pour