Notes:This is a new limoncello produced in small quantities by a small microdistillery in Napa Valley California. A distillery who hand peels organic Meyer lemons to get only the ripest outer zest and a absolute minimum of the bitter inner white pith – good luck finding anyone else doing that- most other places use regular lemons that are non organic and use machinery that look more like wood chippers. Distilled from different wine bases which makes them all excellent choices for people seeking wheat free alternative spirits. Another point for this Limoncello is again it comes from a finished wine base – not a grappa or grain alcohol base, adding a wider, deeper, and more mellow alcohol base than most. They also use pure mountain spring water and special private blend of certified organic cane sugar.

Appearance: Pleasing lemon color, slight haze and a whisper of sediment (at bottom of the bottle). While some might look askance at that I see it as a mark of authenticity and quality- the Limoncello has not been filtered and processed to death or otherwise tweaked to achieve a soulless clarity. On swirling, leaves a medium coating on the glass, then retreats in a almost uniform layer back to the bottom of the glass with a few droplets showing. Absolutely no separation of the oils and alcohol- a hard thing to accomplish!

First Impression: Thick and somehow aromatic at the same time, the bouquet has the unmistakable smell of Meyer lemon, wonderfully full, rich and downright lovely.

Taste: Thick meyer lemon oil entry, appropriately sweet then turning slightly acidic. Nicely oily and thickly sweet with lemon oils and sugars like a really good gelato or essence. Extremely smooth without the usual cutting lemon oil and bitterness wrapped around glycerin and sugar that most have. A pleasant clinging aftertaste, with a pleasing fade of alcohol presence and the slightest tang of bitter at the finish to offset the sweetness.

Drinks: Well in this case actually vanilla ice cream – wonderful! Makes for a wonderful Lemon Ice, too, of course. Also it was wonderful on its own-or in tea hot or cold. Could also be used instead of lemon juice and sweetener in some drinks (such as an Aviation). Also wonderful on its own- which is saying something given a number of limoncellos taste like sweetened disinfectant. In fact the majority of Limoncello we have encountered are only fit to use in a industrial air freshener and cost the same or more than this one.

Bottle: Tall clear glass,and heavy decanter type base, florid silk screened label executed in maple red and gold. Gold colored decorative cap and cork closure finish the package and give a nice presentation.

Final Thoughts: More expensive than many of the cheap syrupy versions – but only by a few dollars. While I was not a huge fan of Limoncello because there are so many godawful ones out there, this one is by far the best I’ve ever had and will change your mind about Limoncello for good.

Website:http://www.napacello.com/

Straightforward design, but not a lot of information.