Limoncello – the Italian lemon liqueur – is experiencing such a boom in popularity that producers can’t keep up with demand. Its rich taste and Mediterranean heritage are amazing consumers all around the world. Traditionally, Limoncello is served as an aperitif or digestif. Thanks to local distilleries like Ambra Spirits and 23rd St Distillery, it’s also found its way into bars and homes, where these local distilleries have come up with their own unique takes on this classic beverage.
Limoncello gets its unique taste from lemon peel paired with quality grain or grape spirits. Ambra Spirits, the Florentine-born business founded by Libero De Luca, employs a highly regarded family recipe, handed down through generations. The distillery now buys about 70 per cent of its lemons from the Riverland region. Valley Lemonade artisans hand peel each lemon for their artisanal batches.
The Art of Crafting Limoncello
Producing limoncello is no small feat. Here at Ambra Spirits, an intrepid team of six people works painstakingly in small batches, around 1,000 bottles each. The process is laborious, yet precise, their careful craftsmanship guiding each bottle of Caggiano to embody the vibrance of their Italian roots.
Finn Healey of Ambra Spirits notes a consistent increase in interest in limoncello in Australia. His long-term ambitions are to take the brand global, opening markets up across the world. “The Australian palate and consumer loves the lemon-forward, well-balanced, kind of sweet, bubbly drink, especially in the sun during summer,” he remarked. Inspired by a growing consumer appreciation for the liqueur, more brands from around Australia have been jumping at the chance to release their own limoncello.
Along those same lines, 23rd St Distillery has recently released their own limoncello. As one of the distillers, Paul Burnett explains, they played around with a lot of different spirit bases before choosing to work with neutral grape spirit. He obtains Eureka lemons from a nearby producer located in Bookpurnong. It’s an extremely busy period. During the peak peeling season from April to September, he’s processing around a tonne of lemons every two weeks.
“When we first blended it, we quite liked that appearance, as it looked really natural, just like how Nana used to make it,” – Paul Burnett
A Tradition Revived
The reinstatement of limoncello onto the Australian market is part of a larger phenomenon in which consumers are searching for authentic Mediterranean experience. As more Australians are drawn to the flavors and traditions of Italy, local distilleries are finding ways to make the drink their own. 23rd St Distillery employs an interesting production process. They macerated the alcohol in lemon peels for three days, producing a unique product at 23 percent proof.
Limoncello’s allure runs deeper than its taste. Chloe Reschke-Maguire unearths the cultural roots of limoncello craftsmanship. “The actual production of the spirit is steeped in culture and tradition,” she explained. Families would come together to hand-pick the surplus lemons, crafting their own limoncello together and celebrating with festive, family-focused feasts.
Those traditions ring true in the contemporary production styles at both Ambra Spirits and 23rd St Distillery. Through her travels to the Amalfi coast, Libero De Luca told of how she found traditional and cultural methods of making limoncello. “He went over to the Amalfi coast, learned how to make their family-style limoncello, fell in love with the process and saw the opportunity to bring it back,” he said.
Upcycling and Sustainability
Limoncello may be trending, but as more distilleries develop their own recipe, they’re taking a greener approach. Both Ambra Spirits and 23rd St Distillery are finding creative uses to upcycle spent lemons post production. “We’re trying to come up with as many ideas as possible to upcycle the spent lemon,” noted Healey.
Burnett humorously recounted his experience peeling 200 kilograms of lemons: “I’ve got a bit of RSI after doing 200 kilograms of lemons but it was fully worth it.” His enthusiasm is matched only by the passion that fuels these small distilleries in their quest to create real products, all while considering their impact on the environment.
