Gotha
About gotha spirits
Gotha Spiriti Nobili is a small producer of fine spirits based in Bologna. It is the creation of Ergin Allko, a bartender and bar proprietor who emigrated from Albania to Italy when he was 18 years old to study in the university town. At the time of Gotha’s launch Ergin also had also lived in Italy for 18 years, and his spirits are very much influenced by his connection to both. To start the company he partnered with his brother Donald, and friends Umberto Menna and Riccardo Francesco de Campagnoli. Their first product was Menegiks Gin, and they followed suit with several others, with the throughline of a key botanical- purified seawater. All are excellent, and we are delighted to be importing these thoughtfully made artisanal spirits.
‘Gotha’ is a German term used all over Europe which translates to ‘best in category’, and we certainly do not disagree. There has been an explosion of small spirits companies in Italy in the last few years, but few of these producers have Ergin’s touch for blending flavors and creating balance.
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spirits:
Menegiks Gin
Menegiks is a savory dry gin made from partially dried juniper berries and fresh caper berries (from Pantelleria), sea fennel (also called samphire), lime peel, and peppermint. The juniper comes from Bosnia, and is grown on a hill just above Albania. It has smaller berries than those grown in Italy and is known for being more savory. Menegiks also contains purified seawater from the Adriatic which is the body of water that separates Albania and Italy. He finds that the salt and other minerals enhance our perception of the other flavors.
It is made by making separate preparations of juniper, caper berry, and samphire, which are briefly macerated and then distilled to 60% alcohol by volume. These are all added to a hydroalcoholic solution which includes the seawater. To this combination are then added an infusion of caper berries, and essential oils of lime peel and peppermint. The final product is left to rest for about ten days, filtered, and bottled. Everything is made in-house except for the essential oils, which come from a small producer near the distillery. No coloring or sugar is added. (‘Menegiks’ is the phonetic spelling of the Albanian word for peppermint, Menexhik.)
Aromatic with notes of olive, raw oysters and herbs. The essential oils add weight to the palate, adding mint and citrus on the finish. The sea water and capers come through as herbaceous and briny as opposed to salty and enhance the other botanicals as Ergin intended.
Uses: bright and distinctive in a gin and tonic, or of course a standard martini (no olive brine needed); or as Ergin suggests, try in a reverse martini with the Drai vermouth.
Drai Vermouth ‘Siderale’
One of the important differences between good vermouth and lesser bottlings is the quality of the base wine. Since vermouth is made mostly of wine this makes perfect sense. Drai is made using dry Zibibbo from Pantelleria (Zibibbo is a form of Muscat) as a base, so there is already a lot of flavor there before they even start adding botanical flavors. It also contains purified seawater from the Adriatic which is the body of water that separates Albania and Italy. He finds that the salt and other minerals enhance our perception of the other flavors. Other botanicals include wormwood (the ingredient that gives vermouth its name), fresh caper berries (from Pantelleria), cucumber, lemon peel, Timut pepper, sage, bay leaf, and grapefruit peel.
The method: pure water, purified sea water, pure alcohol (derived from wheat), wine, and sugar are mixed together; to this base are added individual distillations of caper berries, cucumber, lemon peel, and Timut pepper. (All of these distillations are made by macerating the ingredient in a solution of alcohol for 24 hours, then distilling the result to 60% alcohol by volume.) Then infusions of wormwood, sage leaf, bay leaf and grapefruit peel are added, each infusion being carried out using a 50% alcohol solution for about 10 days. The resulting complete mixture is left to rest for 45 days, filtered, and bottled. This vermouth contains no caramel or other coloring.
As with all of the Gotha products the name of this vermouth combines historical and contemporary inspiration. ’Drai’ is an old italianized form of the word ‘dry’, as there is no ‘y’ in the standard Italian alphabet.’ And ‘Siderale’ roughly translates to ‘of the stars’ and is the initial impression of the label designer (Riccardo). He thought it was like nothing he had tasted before, almost extraterrestrial, and resulted in his addition of the UFO to the label.
SETTEMMEZZO
Settemmezzo is a bitter artichoke liqueur made from a specific species of artichoke, Carciofo Violetto di San Luca, which only grows in the town of San Luca outside of Bologna. The delicate artichoke flavor comes through as fresh herbs, citrus and licorice and also adds a bittersweet component. This is complemented by orange from the chinotto peels and slight smokiness of the rabarbaro. Because the flavor profile is so complete it works as both an aperitivo or digestivo, solo or in cocktails. Settemmezzo (7 1/2) is named after a card game historically played in the osterias and bars of Bologna, outlawed because it involved betting. Residents of course continued to play in back rooms and in secret, cementing an infamous Bolognese tradition.
Available in California, Colorado, Maryland and the District of Colombia. For shipping to most states click here.
BLU AMARO
The use of whisky as a base sets this amaro apart from others. It adds a luxurious textural element as well as a malty note, and the feeling of sweetness without sugar. Licorice root is the primary botanical on the palate, balanced by mild bitterness and a long finish. Ergin named his amaro ‘Blu’ for the time of night after dinner when you might consume it. It might be a time for solo introspection or hanging with a close friend or two. For some it will make a unique addition to their whisky collection, while others may add it to their amaro shelf. We think both are good options and also enjoy using it in cocktails.