When ancient recipes, handed down from generation to generation, meet contemporary taste and land on the podiums of prestigious international contests, a bridge is created between past and future, capable of combining tradition, expertise and innovation.
Such is the case of Poli Distillerie (Italy, Veneto region), custodian of 125 years of artisan mastery in the art of distilling, which enters 2024 with two gold medals bestowed by Meininger’s International Spirits Award (ISW), one of the world’s most authoritative Wine & Spirits competitions. It was Vaca Mora – Amaro Veneto and Poli Bomb Egg Liqueur that won the praise of the jury.
“I am very fond of these two products – says Jacopo Poli, owner of Poli Distillerie – as they are linked to childhood memories, in the case of Poli Bomb, and to the very birth of the distillery, in the case of Vaca Mora. In fact, as a child, my first task at the distillery was to break eggs and separate the whites from the yolks, used to make Poli Bomb. To this day, we still get the eggs from the same farm back then, located one kilometer from the distillery and surrounded by greenery, now run by the sons of the original suppliers”.
“Vaca Mora (‘black cow’ in Venetian) Amaro – continues Jacopo Poli – bears the name of a steam train that connected the cities of Vicenza and Bassano del Grappa. One of the stops was Schiavon, where my great-grandfather Giobatta opened an osteria in 1885. Here, travelers could refresh themselves with a glass of this ‘amaro’ (typical Italian bitter liquor) that my great-grandfather prepared by infusing herbs from our woods and countryside. A few sips later, in 1898, the tavern premises became the home of Poli Distillerie”.
POLI BOMB EGG LIQUEUR: a cream that smells of pastry and distillery at the same time, made respecting a traditional recipe from Bassano del Grappa, which includes very fresh eggs and Grappa, the authentic Italian spirit made by distilling the grape marc. Its aroma recalls a soft donut filled with custard, with a pleasant alcoholic base. 17% Alc./Vol.
POLI VACA MORA – AMARO VENETO: the infusion in Grappa and alcohol of 16 herbs and aromatic plants gives birth to a liqueur with strong digestive properties and a refreshing aftertaste of mint and licorice. Its aroma recalls a wooden box full of officinal herbs and mint leaves. 32% Alc./Vol.
MIXOLOGY: it is also possible to enjoy these two liqueurs in original cocktails, such as the two suggested below.
Añogo (recipe by H. Joseph Ehrmann)
50 ml Poli Bomb
30 ml tequila añejo
15 ml sherry amontillado
Shake and strain, then garnish with a lemon zest
Train Driver
1/3 Vaca Mora – Amaro Veneto
2/3 tonic water
Pour over ice and garnish with a mint leaf
POLI DISTILLERIE is a historic artisanal distillery founded in 1898 in Schiavon, near Bassano del Grappa, in the heart of Veneto, Italy’s most renowned region for the art of distillation. For four generations the Poli family has been operating with an ancient all-copper still, among the very few still in existence, to which innovative vacuum bain-marie stills have been added, always with the aim of producing Distillates distinguished by a refined balance between character and elegance.
Discover the two Poli Grappa Museums: symbol of the Poli family’s dedication to Grappa.