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Strega is one of the most famous Italian herbal liqueurs. The drink is often compared to yellow Chartreuse – the richness of the ingredients and the bright sunny color of the liqueurs are really similar. Strega is popular in Italy, where it is mostly drunk neat as a digestif. The trademark belongs to the family company SA Distilleria Liquore Strega, which, in addition to liqueur, produces desserts: nougat, chocolate, sweets, Caprese cake and muffins.
Historical information
Strega liqueur has entered the category of those legendary drinks with which many mythical stories are associated. The distillery is located in the city of Benevento, which has earned a reputation as a magical place since the time of the ancient Romans. In the Middle Ages, the place was dubbed the “city of witches” – supposedly a special energy attracted sorceresses from all over the world here. Ladies arranged magical rituals in the local forest, brewed a strong drink from local herbs and inhaled its vapors, which prolonged their youth and strengthened their abilities for witchcraft.
According to legend, Strega was based on the recipe for that magical potion. The first producer of liquor, Giuseppe Alberti, received it from a sorceress, whom the winemaker helped to get out from under the branches of a fallen tree. In gratitude, the woman told the savior about the secrets of making the drink and took him to communicate that he would keep the technology a secret. It is not known how close this story is to the truth, but so far only two people know the complete list of herbs and the sequence of mixing components at the enterprise.
Strega liqueur has been actively advertised since the beginning of the 1850th century, and a beautiful legend helped increase sales. It is assumed that in fact the history of the drink is more mundane, and has nothing to do with witchcraft. Wine merchant Giuseppe Alberti came to Benevento in the late XNUMXs to be closer to his father, who was imprisoned in the local prison due to a conflict with the governor of the Papal States. After a train station was built in the town, Giuseppe began to export Italian wines to France. Trade was going well, so the entrepreneur managed to buy many bars in the area, one of which was located at the railway station.
Alberti Sr. was a spice merchant and a great connoisseur of herbs, so after his release he joined his son to help him in business. Together they developed a liqueur based on one of the recipes of the Benedictine monks. The drink stood out for its taste against the background of local products, and the unusual bright yellow color attracted the attention of buyers.
In tribute to the traditions of the city, the liquor was called Strega (translated from the Italian “witch”). The first batch of the drink was released in 1860.
At first, the family sold liquor in their bars, and the drink was most successful in an institution at the railway station. Over time, the liquor was known far beyond the town, and Alberti managed to earn enough money to build a distillery nearby.
The plant has been operating for more than a century and a half and is still in the place of its foundation. The legend of the witches was most likely invented by the second generation of the family in order to promote the brand on the international market. Today, the liquor is appreciated all over the world, and the jury of the competition in San Francisco awarded the brand a gold medal three times.
Features of the production of Strega liqueur
The composition of the liqueur includes only herbal ingredients. The manufacturer reports about seventy types of herbs and spices that are used in the manufacture of the drink. Most of the plants are harvested in Italy, some are brought from abroad.
Among the components:
- Florentine iris;
- Apennine juniper;
- Ceylon cinnamon;
- throws Samnit;
- saffron from Abruzzo
- anise and fennel.
Liquor owes its yellow color solely to saffron, no additional dyes are used in production. Herbs and spices at the enterprise are stored in a separate room, the boxes are encrypted, and even the employees of the plant do not know the order of selection of ingredients.
Vegetable raw materials are macerated, infusions are mixed and placed in charred barrels for aging. The strength of the finished liquor is 40%. Finished products are bottled in Art Nouveau style, typical of the early XNUMXth century.
How to drink Strega liqueur
Italians drink liquor after meals in small glasses, or serve it with ice. Strega is good as an accompaniment to espresso or in combination with cold lemonade.
It should be noted that the liquor has a rather strong anise note, which is not liked by all Russians.
Bartenders often use liquor in rum and whiskey cocktails, but consider it a complex ingredient and add it in small amounts. More than a dozen original recipes are posted on the company’s website, where the drink is combined with ginger ale, bitters and lemon juice.
One of the classic mixes is “Witch Hunt”. In a cocktail, 50 ml of scotch, 25 ml of dry vermouth, 30 ml of freshly made lemonade and 10 ml of Strega are mixed. Served in a tall glass with ice.
During the Christmas holidays, a warming coffee drink is popular: 30 ml of liquor is poured into the bottom of a tall mug, then 150 ml of freshly brewed coffee is added, garnished with whipped cream and sprinkled with nutmeg. Strega is often used in Italy to soak biscuits, ice cream desserts and fruit.