The Bar Journal

Rosolio Alkermes (also called liquor of the past) came in Italy trough the Spaniards, who had inherited the recipe from the Arabs. In ITALY was in Florence where Rosolio began to spread, during the reign of the Medici family. At the time, it was defined as “elixir of long life” and was produced by Florentine nuns of the Order of Santa Maria dei Servi, founded in 1233c.

At the beginning of the sixteenth century the preparation was lead by the monks of Santa Maria Novella and the Carthusians. When Caterina de ‘Medici, daughter of Lorenzo, married in 1533 Henry II of Orléans, King of France, became known beyond the Alps, in addition to various foods and sweets, also the Rosolio, which became precisely known as “Elixir of the Medici”.
Before the appearance of Vermouth, Bitters or Amaro in Italy, Rosolio was the main Aperitivo drunk by the King of Savoia and often served as “Aperitivo di Corte” to the guests during the royal parties. At beginning of nineteen century the King Vittorio Amedeo III find in the Vermouth production a business opportunity to the abbondanza of white wine in the Piedmont region and to incentivise farmers to switch production he decide to band the Rosolio form the Royal House and switch his annual order from the Rosolio to Vermouth. Since then the Rosolio category almost disappear from shops and cocktail bar.
Today different flavours of Rosolio still can be find in the different Italian regions and at Caffe Mulassano just off Piazza Castello still producing and proudly serve their very own family recipe.

The ROSOLIO is also called “liquor of the past”, derives its name from Ros solis – ie, “dew of the sun”; has very ancient origins, dating back to the period between the end of the ‘500 and the beginning of’ 700, when they enter the market sugar cane from Americas.
It is especially popular in southern Italy. In particular, in Sicily, was produced at home with local Cedro (citrus) and fennel leaves and offered to guests as a sign of good luck. It was initially prepared by the nuns who served him to welcome important guests in the convents. Subsequently, however, it has become the Aperitivo of italinas par excellence, due to its moderate alcohol content (generally between 20 and 35{779800b323ee42e5ed999e502e0319b1817165bd3ddf64ca8ef6f651c78cdacf} Vol.)
Rosolio has been considered for many centuries the drink of people in Italy, made by grandma and based on family recipe usually inspired by local ingredients e.g.:

Calabria with local Bergamot
Sardinia with wild berries aka Mirtillo
Campania with lemons
Tuscany with Juniper berries
Piedmont with rose petals

After the arrive of sugar in Italy from Americas in the 1600c, the Rosolio recipe was later transcribed two centuries later by fra ‘Cosimo Bucelli’ director of the Officina di Santa Maria Novella, while in 1859c he came up the oldest price list of this liqueur to us remained.
Rosolio historically was a liqueur made up of pure alcohol, brown sugar with orange peel or various citrus, rose petals and various spices, such as cinnamon, cloves, clove, vanilla, cardamom, anise flowers.

The method of preparation is still traditional craft : the botanicals are macerated in alcohol to obtain the so-called “elixir”, to which will be added to the distilled water (or flowers) orange peel or other citrus, sugar strictly ‘brown’ as Renaissance tradition. Everything is stirred and then aged in ‘Tino Barrel”. In its most typical version, Rosolio is still produced in the Workshop Erboristica of Santa Maria Novella in Florence. Today Rosolio still made as family tradition but we don’t know any specific brand available outside of Italy except the new version created by Giuseppe Gallo – ITALICUS – Rosolio di Bergamotto, the first modern version after centuries.
SALUTE!

GIUSEPPE GALLO