Food - Drink
What Is Italy's Walnut Liqueur Nocino & How Do You Drink It?
By CATHERINE RICKMAN
Walnuts may not have the same association with Italian cuisine as pine nuts or hazelnuts, but the country is home to a unique walnut-based liqueur called Nocino.
Nocino is an Italian liqueur made from green, unripened walnuts, and it is generally considered to be a digestif that is served after dinner with dessert.
Since walnuts contain anti-inflammatory compounds, the drink is believed to relieve pain and inflammation and works as a digestive aid, but it's also enjoyed just for pleasure.
The drink has a complex and spicy nutty flavor which is balanced by added botanicals for a distinctively earthy, herbal drink with a bitter taste and sweet finish.
Nocino begins with walnuts picked during the Feast of St. John on June 24, which are then macerated, or softened, with sugar and alcohol, and fermented for three months each.
Due to its six-month preparation duration, nocino is ready to drink just before Christmas, and it pairs well with other cozy winter flavors like cherry, apple cinnamon, and maple.
You can also use nocino as a substitution in classic cocktails to make nocino variations such as the Walnut Old Fashioned, Nocino Alexander, Tricolor, or Black Manhattan.
Although nocino hasn’t enjoyed the same popularity as other Italian amaros and aperitivos, certain US producers like Don Ciccio & Figli are popularizing the liqueur in the States.