Millefiori Cucchi: What is this stuff?

[slkinsey]

My grandfather was born in 1897. Career Navy man. Both world wars. The whole nine yards. Also a great connoisseur of cocktails and alcoholic libations. Some time after WW2 he was the commander of an Italian shipyard and my mother's family lived in Rome. Anyway... to make a long story short, when we were finally able to go through his things many years after he passed away, I discovered a number of unopened bottles that clearly dated from his time in Rome. Many things were instantly recognizable and look more or less the same now as they did back then, such as Strega. Some were now obsolete brands of Russian vodka with the labels only in Russian. And then this... a bottle of something called Millefiori Cucchi. I've resisted opening it because I don't know what it is. It's also likely not in great shape anyway, as some evaporation has taken place. Still, though, I'd like to know what it is and whether it's made anymore.

Here's a picture of the bottle:

And here's a closeup of the label:

Anyone ever heard of this stuff?

[albiston]

I must say I haven't, though it looks like a Strega imitation. Millefiori, thousand flowers, probably just indicates that many different herbs were used to produce it.

Can you read who the producer is? From your picture I can only distinguish "Un prodotto dell Antiche Distillerie di...". Maybe finding who the producer was I could get some more info.

edited to add:

P.S. It seems in any case that Millefiori Cucchi is a quite prized collectors item, at least in Italy. Just look at those prices !

[slkinsey]

Interesting. Based on those pictures, it looks like maybe mine isn't damaged after all. They all seem to have a fairly low level in the bottle and crystallized something (presumably sugar) on the bottom.

[slkinsey]

Man... look at those prices. My bottle is from c. 1955, by the way. Now I can't decide whether I should drink it or auction it off.

If only I knew what it was...

[albiston]

Man... look at those prices.  My bottle is from c. 1955, by the way.  Now I can't decide whether I should drink it or auction it off.

If only I knew what it was...

←

Did a little extra research and by chance i found two old recipes for cakes, in Italian, calling for Strega OR Millefiori to be added to the frosting. I'd assume they're pretty much the same thing.

[scratchline]

Hi slkinsey,

I think we pm'd you long ago re this--we picked up a dusty bottle of Millefiori Cucchi on a trip to Italy last year. We finally opened it, and here's the report:

It's really, really good. I'm going back to that little liquor store when we get back to Italy (someday!) to pick up the other bottle or two...I think it might still be there, the bottles had been sitting there for decades.

It's an herbal liqueur. It has anise, but it is not primarily anise, that definitely takes a backseat. I don't know enough about the various herbs to be able to identify them, it's one of those European proprietary herbal blends, and I'd guess there are many ingredients, if not "mille." The flavors remind me of some of the ancient digestivi we got at the Farmacia Santa Maria Novella--distinctively Italian, for sure. The Millefiori is more palatable than most of those, though.

To compare to Strega: I think these are very different. They are certainly in the same family, though. Colorwise: the Millefiori is slightly darker, doesn't have that greenish tinge that the current yellow Strega does. The Millefiori is more a warm straw color. Huge difference in the mouthfeel: the Strega is thin, whereas the Millefiori is viscous and has a great mouthfeel. Interestingly, you would think that the Millefiori is a lower proof, but it is in fact 90 proof (Strega is 80). The Strega is sharper and more alcoholic-tasting. I don't think I would be likely ever to pour myself some Strega to drink straight or on the rocks, though I do like it and use it in cocktails. The Millefiori is very good straight. It is sweet, no question, but for some reason I like it straight anyway. Normally I don't like sweet spirits, but somehow this one works, it's complex enough. Good for after-dinner, but different from your usual amaro. My other half keeps threatening to mix it in a cocktail, but I am not allowing it--it's gentler & more complex than Strega, and it would just be run over. Besides, the flat bottle (with the crystallized sugar in the bottom and an herb "tree" growing out of it) is very pretty and nice to bring out after dinner. Btw, our bottle looks just like slkinsey's, just newer and in better shape. It hadn't lost anything to evaporation, it was full.

Would love to hear thoughts from anyone else who has tried it or has current information re manufacture, availability, etc.

[Kerry Beal]

I recall seeing a bottle of that in my parents liquor cabinet when I was a kid.