Our Favorite Nut Liqueurs for Winter Drinks

Ohio-based Watershed Distillery first started making Nocino in 2014 after a local physician named Charlie convinced them to try his homemade version. Unripe black walnuts from Ohio are used in its creation along with sugar and spices. Released annually in small batches so ABV will vary.

Nux Alpina Walnut Liqueur is made from fresh green Weinsberg walnuts. They are harvested in the summer near the Austrian village of Sankt Peter in der Au. The green walnuts are steeped in grape brandy for months with spices and Alpine botanicals added in the final month. After sweetening, the walnut liqueur is bottled at 32% ABV.

Indiana's Cardinal Spirits makes its nocino along traditional lines, researching old Italian recipes and methodology. They harvest green walnuts in midsummer, and steep them in alcohol for several months, in this case using their own vodka made from grapes. Cinnamon and spices are added to the mixture as well, along with maple syrup from nearby Burton's Maplewood Farm.

Flavored with both walnuts and hazelnuts, Toschi Nocello is made in Savignano Sul Panaro, Italy. It's bottled at 24 percent ABV and often comes adorned with an imitation walnut shell secured around the neck of the bottle. The brand recommends drinking the nutty liqueur neat, over ice, or in coffee.

Lazzaroni Amaretto is made from infusion of Amaretti di Saronno cookies (made from sugar, apricot kernels, & egg whites) into neutral alcohol made from molasses. Other ingredients include European beet sugar and distilled cocoa among others and includes caramel coloring. Bottled at 24% ABV.

Tempus Fugit Crème de Noyaux is made from apricot and cherry pit kernels along with bitter almonds and other botanicals. Its red color is obtained from cochineal, an insect, so not vegan friendly. Bottled at 30% ABV.

Luxardo Amaretto gets its almond flavor from the essential oils found in the pits of cherries, peaches, and apricots which are used in its production. This amaretto is GMO free, Kosher certified, and vegan friendly.

Disaronno is an amaretto (almond-flavored liqueur) with a recipe, the brand claims, that dates back to 1525. It was first commercially produced and marketed by the Reina family in the early 20th century in Saronna, just outside of Milano. Originally called Amaretto di Saronno, the iconic square bottle first arrived in 1942. In 2001, the brand dropped Amaretto from its name and is now simply called Disaronno.

Frangelico Hazelnut Liqueur is made in Piedmont from local Tonda Gentile hazelnuts. They are harvested, shelled, toasted, and crushed before infusing into neutral alcohol. After distillation, the hazelnut distillate is flavored with cocoa, coffee, vanilla, and other extracts. Then it's blended with alcohol, sugar, and water and placed in vats for 6-8 weeks to marry before bottling. Although Frangelico has a history dating back to the 18th century, it was first commercially available in 1978.