Etna liqueurs, seven agricultural liqueurs infused with only fresh seasonal fruit

Seven agricultural liqueurs, seven colorful and juicy fruits, seven characters and endless adventures at the foot of the largest and most fascinating volcano in the old continent. Thus is born the concept brand ‘Etnauti’ and the new line ‘Liquori dell’Etna’.

Seven infusions made only with fresh seasonal fruit

Seven infusions made only with fresh seasonal fruit harvested on the black lands of Etna tell the agricultural stories of brokers, farmers and courageous traders who helped build the charm and success of the Etna territory. Primofiore Lemon,Tarocco Gallo,Late March Marzola Mandarin, Tabacchiera Peach, Delicious Etna Apple, Coscia Pear e Prickly Pear are the main ingredients of authentic recipes, involving the meticulous selection of the best fruits and a slow double maceration in alcohol. A timeless ritual, that from generation to generation brings to the table seven legendary liqueurs, the same with which the Etnauti toasted to their successes.

Seven agricultural liqueurs from as many seasonal treasures

I Liquori dell’Etna are a range of agricultural liqueurs born from the best seasonal fruit produced at the foot of the great volcano, in the countryside of Misterbianco, Catania, Regalna, Adrano, Riposto e Santa Maria di Licodia. The black lands of the districts are the origin of the quality of every fruit. They come from a magical territory, naturally destined for the excellence of agricultural productions thanks to the particular climatic and soil conditions, but above all to the mystical energy of Etna that meets the fascinating intertwining of a story with legendary contours. Each season has its fruits with equally distinctive liqueurs for their freshness and immediacy, capable of evoking with every sip a concentrate of territory thanks to the expressiveness of the rich heritage of Etna’s scents and aromas.

The seasonality of Sicilian citrus fruits

A January in the countryside of Misterbianco the Tarocco Gallo, a native variety of orange rich in anthocyanins in the peels, aromatic precursors that give strength and aroma characteristics to the liqueur thanks to an infusion of about two months. Another endemic citrus variety is the Primofiore Lemon, which in February is also harvested in Misterbianco: the maceration of its peels in alcohol enhances the essential oils that seal the intense scent of the Etna lands in this liqueur. In March, in Contrada Blanco in the plain of Catania the citrus season closes with the Late Mandarino Mazorla: the delayed ripening distinguishes this fruit, enhancing its Mediterranean scrub fragrance.

The delicious fruit that grows at the foot of the volcano

Between March and April at one thousand meters above sea level, Contrada Melia in Ragalna is one of the last outposts where the Delizia dell’Etna Apple, one of the emblematic species of the volcano’s biodiversity, is harvested, with the liqueur obtained after a maceration and infusion of the pulp in alcohol for at least 60 days. The Tabacchiera Peachof Etna is a Slow Food presidium cultivated in a few municipalities at the foot of the Volcano: in Aragano district, in Adrano (500 m a.s.l.) it is harvested in May and the characteristic intense aroma of its pulp is preserved thanks to maceration in alcohol.

After the hot season, the range of Etna Liquors is completed with two labels made from the maceration and infusion of the pulp of the Etna Coscia Pears and the Prickly Pears: the former grow in Melia district in Ragalna (1000 m a.s.l.) and are harvested in September, slightly later than the usual ripening, in order to obtain a delicate and sweet flavor of the pulp. The latter find their excellent presidium in Santa Maria di Licodia in Distacco district (420 m a.s.l.) and a meticulous production method helps to exalt the aromatic and delicate notes of one of Sicily’s most emblematic fruits.

The recipe

The excellent quality of the fruit contained in Etna liquors is enhanced by an original recipe that aims to capture in a glass the essence of a unique, fascinating, and generous territory.

The Graphic Novel: “Adventures at the Foot of the Volcano”

The brand Etna Liquors, which aims to tell the story of the territory innovatively both inside and outside the glass, makes use of innovative narrative forms and tools. Each bottle will in fact be paired with the story of an agricultural adventure at the foot of Etna in comic book style and features the Etnauts: brokers, farmers, and brave merchants who gave life to the great agricultural tradition of Etna. Today the myth of the Etnauts lives on in a line of liquors with a strong territorial imprint. Ideally taking up this legacy is Edoardo Strano, whose personal and family history is rooted in Etna’s agricultural world, an important cultural heritage that is revived today in the story of those bygone adventures and in the taste of these legendary liquors.

Etnauti

The Etnauti e of Liquors of Etna is an original story of the territory, an innovative branding project that chooses comics, in the form of a graphic novel, to celebrate the adventures of Don Rico Santamaria, Tonio the Broker, Placido, Alfio, Melo, Barbaro, and Tano. Seven mythical characters who, with their adventures at the foot of the volcano, inspired by historically true events, tell of the pride in their origins and the desire to rise despite difficulties. Feelings that, today as in the past, guide young Sicilian entrepreneurs.

Today the myth of the Etnauti lives again in a line of liquors with a strong territorial imprint, but also in the work of all those men who believe in the potential of the tangible and intangible heritage of this land. The ideal bearer of this legacy is Edoardo Strano, whose family history is deeply rooted in the agricultural world of Etna, an important cultural heritage that today lives again in the story of those old-time adventures and in the taste of these mythical liquors.

“My childhood memories are tied to the fruit harvests in the fields, the commercial negotiations of my uncles, my grandfather’s car trips who, long ago, began trading oranges outside Sicily – says Edoardo Strano, CEO of the corporate brand whose beating heart is at the foot of Etna – “Liquori dell’Etna” and “The Adventures of the Etnauti” are inspired by this historical memory. With this project, I would like to pay tribute to all the brokers, farmers, and merchants who made the agricultural territory of Etna great. The Liquors of Etna have been designed both as after-dinner drinks and as premium spirits, to guide connoisseurs and enthusiasts to discover our territory and its history through authentic aromas and flavors, enclosed in a glass.”

An innovative editorial and branding project that tells a piece of Sicily’s economic and social history with a current and contemporary aesthetic style. Each label tells the adventures of the Etnauti, but also of iconic Sicilian objects and accessories, ancient traditions, and a timeless language. “The agricultural adventures at the foot of the volcano” will instead be published periodically in the form of a graphic novel on the brand’s social channels and in a pocket-sized leaflet that will accompany the bottles.

The Liquors of Etna will be included in the Velier’s premium spirits catalog and distributed at selected restaurants and wine shops. The brand’s e-commerce is also active on the website www.liquoridelletna.itwith deliveries throughout Italy.

The visual identity, design, and packaging of the bottles were curated by the graphic design studio Atelier790 which also coordinated the creation of the comic’s illustrations and texts, entrusting them to the ingenuity and creativity of the Palermo illustrator Emanuele Gizzi and the pen of Alfonso Prota.

The brand Etnauti, will not be limited to Liquors of Etna, as other projects are in the works to complete the spirits line with other products designed for mixology, needless to say strictly made in Etna.