Contents
Briefly about the drink
Witch (Стрега) – the most mystical herbal liqueur comes from Italy. In translation, the name of the drink means “witch”.
Its strength is 40%. The color of the drink has a dark yellow hue, the taste has sweet, velvety notes, and mint and cinnamon aromas are captured in the smell.
To date, this liqueur is being counterfeited. Strega Alberti has collected over 400 copies from all over the world.
What is mystical in this alcohol?
It all started in 1860, this year Giuseppe Alberati moved to live in the town of Benevento and opened his bar in the center of it. This was the right decision, since during this period the trade in delicious alcoholic beverages began to flourish in Italy.
According to the stories of local residents, starting from the 2th century, witches from all over the world flocked to this small town and held a sabbath under a large walnut tree. And XNUMX thousand witches brewed a secret potion from various herbs and instilled fear in the locals. But the couples who overcame their fear and drank the witch’s potion remained together until the end of their days.
And then one day, when Giuseppe was walking around the city and looking for herbs to create a new drink. He saw a witch who was crushed by that very fallen walnut tree and saved her. In return, she told him the secret recipe for Strega liqueur. The owner of the bar promised that he would never reveal this secret to anyone. And only when he dies, he will give it to one of the members of his family.
Who knows, maybe that’s what happened. But experts say that this is a good marketing ploy and there is a more plausible version of the creation of this drink. According to this version, the herbal infusion was developed by the Benedictine monks. And constant improvements and new components contributed to the birth of Strega liquor.
The composition and features of the production of Strega
Despite the fact that the story of the witch is just a legend, it continues to be supported by relevant facts to this day. The recipe for the drink is kept in the strictest confidence, and even the factory employees do not know all its components except for a couple of people. They see only numbered containers, and their duties are only to measure the right amount of ingredients or, if necessary, chop something.
What is known for sure is that Strega liqueur is a mixture of 70 herbs and spices. And among them, only six components were unraveled: Ceylon cinnamon, fennel, mint, Florentine iris, Apennine juniper and saffron.
The last ingredient plays a major role in the formation of the yellow tint of the drink. Juniper and mint stand out clearly in the aroma of the liqueur.
The secret of the perfect taste and aroma of Strega lies in the long maturation of the drink in oak barrels. And only after this stage it is bottled and sent to store shelves.
Types of herbal liqueur Strega
In addition to the classic liqueur, Strega Alberti produces two more drinks based on it:
Witch Reserve
The peculiarity of the drink is the longest aging in oak barrels. This gives the liquor a delicate and mild taste. And the premium is also expressed in a beautiful bottle and gift packaging. The fortress is 40%.
Witch Cream
It is a delicate creamy blend of herbs and spices that combines the world famous herbal liqueur and fresh cream. The strength of the drink is 17%.
How to drink herbal liqueur
Such drinks in Italy are called “ammazzacaffè”, which are served after coffee or food.
Despite the strength of the drink, it is still customary to serve it as a digestif after the main meal or coffee, accompanied by desserts and cookies. It is important to choose dry and low-fat treats.
The drink is drunk in its pure form, both warm and chilled. It also acts as an excellent ingredient for making cocktails.
All the secrets of the mystical liquor are revealed and you just have to taste it – this is a witch’s potion.
Relevance: 15.02.2018
Tags: Liqueurs, Pourings, Liqueurs, Brands of liqueurs