Unusual German or Italian spirits / liqueurs?

[scratchline]

Hello All,

We will shortly be visiting Germany and Italy and of course will be looking for interesting bottles to add to our bar. We'd love to hear any recommendations for things we can't get in America. (Maybe we'll have to get a bottle of the Cocchi Americano now that our government is holding that up.)

We hear the Ziegler eaux-de-vie are really good--if anyone has a specific rec from their line that'd be great.

Thanks in advance for your suggestions!

[BittermensAG]

Hello All,

We will shortly be visiting Germany and Italy and of course will be looking for interesting bottles to add to our bar.  We'd love to hear any recommendations for things we can't get in America. 

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If you're in Bavaria (Munich Area) take a look for:

- Slyrs (Bavarian Single Malt Whisky)

- Andechs Kraeuter Schnapps (herb liquors)

- Blutwurz (a more medicinal liqueur)

- Bodensee Obstler (fruit eaux de vie)

From Ziegler, look for:

- Wildkirsche (wild cherry)

- Quitte (quince)

- Walnuss

[jmfangio]

A few off the top of my head (far from a definitive wish list, and I'm going with spirits from all across Europe):

Cocchi Aperitivo (which you already mentioned, and a fine choice)

Chartreuse Elixir Vegetal

Amer Picon

Suze (no longer imported to the US)

Plymouth Navy Strength

Plymouth Sloe Gin (though it's supposedly coming here in a few months)

Noilly Prat Ambre

and I'm sure that there's a wide variety of Amaro's that have never seen these shores.

And while in Italy I'd be curious to see if the Campari there is still the old formula, and if their Aperol is different than ours.

[brinza]

You absolutely should try to get some of the Ettaler Kloster-Liqueur if at all possible.

http://www.original-ettaler.de/

I had it once (the yellow variety, or "Gelb"), and it's incredible. The only way I can describe it is it's the closest thing there probably is to Tolkien's miruvor, the cordial of the Elves. Yeah, it's that good. I imagine the Grün and the Magenbitter are wonderful as well.

[LoneSavant]

One thing that I wish Id have brought a case of back, as opposed to a few bottles is Liquore Erbe Luiga

Erbe Luiga is, in english, Lemon Verbena, and this liquor is a northern-Italian version of Limoncello, but much grassier and more complex in flavor. Still sweet, and very lemony, the verbena adds wild notes of juniper, white flowers, and sea spray-- I prefer it to limoncello 250%.

[scratchline]

Thanks everyone for your great suggestions!

[scratchline]

We're back, and with more than our given liquor allotment. Luckily no problems with customs, they didn't even make us pay the extra duty!

We couldn't find Liquore Erbe Luiga anywhere--no one had heard of it. We were told it was probably a regional Italian specialty and therefore only available in that region. Didn't see Cocchi Americano anywhere either. Perhaps these are just available in southern Italy--we were just in north & central.

The Zieglers were ferociously expensive (gorgeous packaging), so we just picked up a couple minis, the pear william and the raspberry. There was lots of Schladerer, but many of those are avail in the US--so we got a sauerkirsch that is a special "rare" edition that we'd never seen here, and a box of minis at the airport that had some flavors we hadn't seen in the US.

The Farmacia Santa Maria Novella is an incredible place--we went for the perfume, not knowing they also made "medicinal" liqueurs. It's a monastery/convent--the nuns started out distilling rosewater hundreds of years ago. Unbelievable building. Ended up finding an underpriced trove at another store & had to get them. If anyone is interested we will post more information & descriptions of the histories of each of the liquors. Find of the trip!

The Millefiori is something we saw in only one place--a GREAT store, the Enoteca Chianti Classico in Panzano. (Not the same as ones in Greve & Florence.) Amazing proprietor. The Carpano was also from there, and we got some wines too.

Now we have to taste it all...