This post is also available in: Italiano (Italian)

Gentian brandy is a distillate that comes from the roots of great yellow gentian (Gentiana lutea), a typical flower of the Alpine and Apennine areas, between 3.280 and 8.202 ft above sea level.

The official and authorized harvest takes place between August and September (that is, at the end of the flowering season), and only mature plants are used for their well-developed roots – thus safeguarding the reproductive cycle of the remaining specimens; once cleaned by hand, the roots are cut and fermented according to several different procedures.

Gentian brandy is also typical of Abruzzo, where it is always served at the end of any meal. It features an amber colour and a bitter taste – it’s highly recommended as a digestive liqueur.
The Abruzzo recipe differs from the others, including that of Trentino-Alto Adige Region: it is based on the maceration of dried roots – whole or chopped – using white wine; this process takes at least 40 days. Eventually, they are dried, without filtering, and added with very little sugar and alcohol.
One liter of white wine is usually required for 1.4 ounces of roots; the wine should feature a marked acidity, sensibly enhanced when gentian brandy is served ice-cold.

The alcohol content of this brandy ranges from 40% to 45%.

This post is also available in: Italiano (Italian)