Meletti

The Meletti Family has been producing extraordinary hand crafted cordials for generations. Silvio Meletti started the company in 1870 when he endeavored to produce an anise-flavored liqueur that would rival or surpass the best products of Italy and France. Through study and experimentation, Silvio developed innovative techniques and equipment.

As with any great product, the quality of the ingredients is what sets the best above the masses. Today, Silvio Meletti's sons, Aldo and Silvio, continue to select only the finest herbs and botanicals for all of their products. In fact, to insure the highest quality they grow many of the ingredients on their own estate.

Meletti Limoncello
Lemon trees have been cultivated on the Amalfi coast since 200 AD. The noble lemon has made its way through India, Asia, Greece and Italy. According to Greek Mythology it is the symbol of fruitfulness and love. And according to Italian Tradition, Limoncello liqueur is the elixir of life capable of curing everything from bad breath to a bad love life. The Meletti family selects the finest Sorrento lemons from groves located along the coast. This type of lemon is noted for its low acidity and thick skin. The rich oils give this liqueur its rich body and intriguing aroma. The lemons are hand-harvested in mid-October and quickly brought to the Meletti distillery. The production process is long and tedious with family supervision, at every level. The skins are macerated in pure alcohol for three months, and the liquid is blended with a sweet emulsion that is created from an old family recipe. The final blend is aged an additional three months before being bottled and released. Meletti Limoncello is pure and natural with no coloring or stabilizing additives.

Meletti Cioccolato
The Meletti family, through skillful blending, has created a delicious cocoa based liqueur. Meletti Cioccolato was created by Silvio Meletti as a winter drink, intended to be served warm. However, fans of Meletti cordials soon discovered its versatility. It can be used in a variety of drink and food recipes and is delicious cold as well as warm. As with all Meletti products, only the best ingredients are used and personal attention is afforded to every phase of production.

 Meletti Amaro
Meletti Amaro is made from a unique, proprietary blend of herbs and botanicals. The flavors of these carefully selected ingredients are obtained through the cold-extraction process known as percolation. The process is similar to brewing coffee. Much like a coffee pot, an assortment of ingredients is placed in the upper section of the still, and alcohol flavored with additional ingredients is pumped over and through it. This pumping and percolation is repeated continuously until the Meletti family determines the Amaro is ready to be filtered and bottled. Meletti Amaro is a delightfully aromatic liqueur that is excellent after a meal as an aid to digestion.

Meletti Sambuca
Sambuca is a licorice-flavored liqueur that derives its flavor from the gentle cold infusion of the elder bush, known in Latin as “sambucus”. The fruit from the elder bush is steeped in alcohol at very cold temperatures. This flavorful mixture is then aged for four months and is cut to proof before bottling. The extended aging is what makes Meletti Sambuca stand head and shoulders above the competition. Sambuca is richer in body than anisette and has an underlying floral character.

Meletti Anisette
The very special flavor of Meletti Anisette is a result of slow evaporative distillation and the quality of the anise (Pimpinella Anisum) that is grown in the clay soil near Ascoli Piceno. During distillation Meletti discards the first and last portions of the distillate because they contain elements of bitterness. They keep only the “heart”, or middle portion, to ensure that the flavors are concentrated and consistent. Once distilled at high alcoholic strength, a second distillation of other spices is added. The liqueur is then transferred to 10,000 liter tanks for four months of aging, adjusted for proof, and bottled. The resulting anisette is rich, smooth, and exceptionally flavorful.