Nocino

Nocino is a sticky dark brown liqueur from the Emilia-Romagna region in Northern Italy. It is made from unripe green walnuts. After steeping in spirit, the walnuts are removed and the now-black alcohol is mixed with simple syrup. Nocino has an aromatic, but bittersweet, flavor. It may be homemade; villages and even individual families often have their own recipes, including different additions like cinnamon or clove. Nocino is also available commercially in bottled form. Commercially available Nocino is typically 40% alcohol by volume, or 80 proof. During the Middle Ages, Italian monasteries used nocino for its medicinal properties and also as an alcoholic treat. Ordine del Nocino Modenese is an association of Spilamberto, Province of Modena, Emilia-Romagna, Italy which, since 1978, promotes the traditional Nocino of Modena. Nocino is also produced in New Zealand by NewZino, under the name "NutZino Walnut Liqueur" and in Australia by Timboon Railway Shed Distillery in Timboon, Victoria. A handful of craft distillers have started producing the liqueur in the United States, including Watershed Distillery (Columbus, Ohio), Wood Hat Spirits (New Florence, Missouri), Cardinal Spirits (Bloomington, Indiana), Skip Rock Distillers (Snohomish, Washington), and Eda Rhyne Distilling Company (Asheville, North Carolina).