Zanin Limoncello 30

Appearance: Rather like homemade lemonade. A white, faintly yellowish opalescence that is cloudy but not completely opaque. Aroma: A bright, fresh sweet lemon fragrance - almost sparkling. Taste: Sweet lemon juice on the arrival but quickly changing to light sourness. There are no metallic or bitter notes and no astringency, the initial sweet presence just fades. The finish is quite short and initially leaves a pleasant but very lightly bitter/sour taste, however the final aftertaste sees moderate sweetness return. The lemon character is much brighter on the nose than the palate where it is subtle and reserved. The texture is light and airy and certainly not syrupy or cloying. The liquor profile goes through a cycle from sweet to sour then back to sweet, which is interesting and satisfying. The Zanin company was founded in 1895 in Zugliano in the Veneto region. Their primary product is a very fine aged grappa, however they also produce fruit-infused liqueurs. This limoncello is made by macerating Sicilian lemon peel in the distillery’s own 97% eau-de-vie for 30 days, then diluting the result with water, sugar syrup and lemon juice to achieve a bottling strength of 30%. It’s one of the better limoncellos I’ve tried, being more elegant than most. “Very Good” : 85/100 (4 stars)