Piedmont, late summer. The hazel rows across the Langhe hills hang heavy, baskets fill with Tonda Gentile, and the whole district smells of nuts going into the roaster. Frangelico starts here — in a grove, not a laboratory.
Expert description
Frangelico Hazelnut Liqueur is an Italian Hazelnut Liqueur made from toasted Tonda Gentile hazelnuts grown in Piedmont and bottled at 20%.
The brand launched in 1978, created by the Barbero family at their company Barbero 1891 S.p.A. in the town of Canale in Piedmont. Ownership has moved around since — first C&C Group, then William Grant & Sons, and from 2010 Gruppo Campari, which still produces the liqueur in Piedmont.
Tonda Gentile is not a random nut. It runs bigger, rounder and more uniform than most, and the skin sheds cleanly during toasting. That is the whole point: leave the skin on and it drags bitterness into the distillate. The nuts are toasted and distilled with neutral alcohol, and the distillate is then infused with cacao beans, coffee, vanilla, berries, rhubarb root and sweet orange flower. Sugar and water finish the blend.
The colour is bright golden brown, and caramel colouring is added. Most people know the bottle before they know the liquid: it is shaped like a Franciscan friar in his habit, with a rope cord knotted around the neck. The name points to the hermit monk Fra Angelico, whom legend credits with the original recipe.
Tasting notes
Nose
Toasted hazelnut straight away, warm and unmistakable. Cocoa, vanilla pod and a thread of orange peel sit behind it.
Palate
Soft and full. Nougat and roasted nuts first, then dark chocolate and a rounded note of coffee. Sweet, but it never turns sticky.
Finish
Medium. The nut lingers, the vanilla fades slowly, and the cocoa leaves a touch of dryness at the very end.
Specifications
Name: Frangelico Hazelnut Liqueur
Distillery: Frangelico
Region/Country: Piedmont, Italy
Type: Italian Hazelnut Liqueur
ABV: 20%
Size: 70 CL
Natural colour: No
Distillation method: Distillate of toasted hazelnuts, then infused with cocoa, coffee and vanilla
Serving suggestion: Chilled or over ice, in coffee, or in cocktails such as the Espresso Martini and the Nutty Irishman
Flavour profile
Nutty · Sweet · Chocolate · Vanilla · Toasted
Did you know?
When Gruppo Campari bought Frangelico from William Grant & Sons in September 2010, the brand cost EUR 128.2 million. That is a lot of hazelnuts.
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