Over a century and a half of its existence, the Ramazzotti sambuca has become one of the symbols of Milan. Visiting the city and not tasting this liqueur is like not seeing Piazza San Babila or La Scala Theatre. But even those who have never been to the capital of Lombardy have a chance to taste the real taste of Milan: the Ramazzotti sambuca is exported to 30 countries of the world, and the volume of production is increasing every year.
Star anise and other spices for making the drink are purchased in the Indian state of Kerala from farmers who practice organic farming. In 2014, Ramazzotti sambuca received the prestigious Taste of the Year award, awarded annually by the CIAS (Italian Center for Organoleptic Analysis).
Historical reference. At the beginning of the XNUMXth century, Milan was the capital of the Italian kingdom and, like any capital, attracted ambitious provincials. Ausano Ramazzotti, a twenty-year-old native of Bologna, could not resist the call of the big city. True, Signor Ausano, although he was a certified pharmacist, did not at all intend to practice the craft of an apothecary all his life. Much more, he liked to experiment with tinctures of aromatic herbs, mixing them in different proportions to get the perfect liquor.
Only after four years of hard work, in 1815, the experiments of the young pharmacist were crowned with success: the amaro (herbal liqueur) he created became so popular that it became much more profitable to make it than to grind ordinary powders in a mortar.
In 1848, Ramazzotti opened his first bar, serving signature drinks, including the famous amaro infused with 33 herbs. The institution was located near the La Scala theater, and therefore it was visited by wealthy citizens.
In the 50s of the XNUMXth century, another liqueur, sambuca, came into fashion in Italy, which was produced by the Manzi company. Trying to please the tastes of customers, signor Ausano decided to create a recipe for his own sambuca. He invented two versions of the drink: the traditional colorless transparent anise liqueur and dark green, almost black sambuca with licorice root.
Ausano Ramazzotti died in 1866, leaving his sons: Enrique, Carlo, Ausano and Antonio, unique recipes for liqueurs (they are still kept in the strictest confidence) and several fashionable bars. The demand for Fratelli Ramazzotti’s products was so great that in 1872 Signor Ausano’s heirs built a new factory in Milan.
In the 18th century, Guido Ramazzotti made a significant contribution to the prosperity of the company. He was only 21 years old when he joined the board of directors, and at 1934 he was already an executive director. It was he who in XNUMX came up with the famous slogan for the company’s advertising campaigns: “Ramazotti is always the best for you.”
During World War II, in 1942, Guido Ramazzotti took over as chairman of the board of the family firm. A year later, during one of the carpet bombings, her factory was destroyed to the ground. Only thanks to the outstanding organizational skills of the head in 1947, it was possible to restore production. During the reconstruction, the factory areas were increased.
In impoverished, war-ravaged Italy, it was not easy to find solvent buyers of high-quality and by no means cheap alcohol. Guido Ramazzotti signed contracts for the supply of liqueurs to Europe, North and South America. Nowadays, Fratelli Ramazzotti products occupy a leading position in the markets of Germany, Greece and Canada.
Under the leadership of Guido Ramazzotti, the company has become a real empire. In 1959 a new plant was built in Milan, in 1969 in Switzerland and a year later in Cologne. In 1970, a large industrial complex opened in Lainate (Lombardy). Signor Guido received awards from the President of Italy and the Pope for his entrepreneurial and charitable activities.
All leaders of Fratelli Ramazzotti perfectly understood the need for bright, original, memorable advertising. From 1920 to 1950, Ramazzotti liqueur posters were painted by the most famous Italian artists. In the second half of the XNUMXth century, popular comedian Jerry Lewis and famous singer Loretta Goji starred in television commercials.
In 1985, the heirs of Guido Ramazzotti sold the family company to the international concern Pernod Ricard. The new owners have tried to preserve the halo of the Milanese legend that surrounds Ramazzotti liqueurs. A huge success with the public was an advertising campaign in 1987, held under the motto “Drink in Milan”.
Subsequently, the management of the concern decided to close the plant in Lainate, and since 1994 sambuca has been produced at the plant in Canelli. Thanks to the strict quality control system established here, consumers can enjoy the taste of the legendary Ramazzotti sambuca, which has remained unchanged for over 150 years.
Types of sambuca Ramazzotti
Two types of Sambuca Ramazzotti are produced:
- Sambuca Ramazzotti – a clear colorless liquor with a strength of 38% with an anise-sweet taste;
- Ramazzotti Black is a dark green aniseed liqueur with a 40% abv flavor and a hint of licorice root. There is no word “sambuca” on the label, because according to EU standards, this liqueur should not have any other aftertaste than anise.
