Bottega Spirits Distilling the Soul of Italy

Bottega Spirits are crafted at the Bottega family’s distillery near Venice in northeast Italy’s Veneto region. The facility is housed in a 19th-century farmhouse, which the family painstakingly restructured to preserve the original architectural characteristics, surrounded by 30 hectares / 75 acres of vineyards. Along with premium spirits, the Bottega family have also successfully ventured into several other traditional Venetian industries, including winemaking, wine accessories, glassmaking, mineral water, olive oil, and organic foods.

The Bottega family source the best quality Italian ingredients for Bottega Bacûr Gin: juniper berries from Tuscany, sage leaves from Veneto, and lemon zest from Femminello Siracusano (Sicilian lemons). These botanicals first macerate in a solution of pure Italian Alps water and alcohol, then are double distilled, which creates an elegant distillate with a fine, clean bouquet.

Bottega Bacûr Gin offers intense scents of juniper, followed by citrus notes of lemon and zest, and finally, hints of sage. Smooth and balanced, it delicately warms the palate, leaving a pleasantly perfumed sensation. Enjoy it neat, over ice, or as part of a classic cocktail recipe. In fact, the Bottega family have made it the star ingredient in their pre-mixed Bottega Negroni.

Bottega Bacûr Gin is one of three high-quality ingredients that make up the distillery’s conveniently pre-mixed Bottega Negroni. The second is Bottega Vermouth Rosso, which is crafted from a secret recipe involving merlot and more than 30 botanicals — including gentle absinthe, basil leaves, coriander seeds, marjoram, oregano, Clary sage, and red radicchio. Third is Bottega Bitter Aperitivo, which stands out for its freshness, owing to infusions of chinotto, grapefruit, and cedar peels, alongside the classic pomegranate extract and several other botanicals.

The careful dosing of these three ingredients gives life to a Negroni that perfectly balances the dryness of the gin, the sweetness of the vermouth, and well-known embittering of the bitter. Bottega Negroni has the characteristic ruby red color with vermillion reflections, leading to an elegant, dry bouquet with intense citrus fragrances plus spicy hints and aromatic herb notes. The palate is full, enveloping, and refreshing, with excellent structure and balance. Packaged in a beautiful stout bottle, the Bottega Negroni is best enjoyed on the rocks, with an orange peel. It’s also excellent alongside savory snacks, large green olives, cheeses such as parmigiano and pecorino, or whole canapés with duck breast, cured ham, or salmon.

The Bottega family distilleria was specifically designed to conserve energy and use renewable sources to generate its own energy. In addition, the company has adopted organic farming practices. In the family’s vineyards, the use of synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, GMOs, and derivatives are prohibited. Therefore, Bottega SpA uses only organic fertilizers and the technique of green manure to improve soil fertility.

During distillation, CO2 emission is reduced substantially. Packaging is sustainable in several aspects (glass bottles, paper, cork) and there is a recycling program on the premises — just adding to the many green practices employed during the making of Bottega Spirits.

As far back as 1635, the Bottega family’s ancestors cultivated vines as tenant farmers. After years working as a successful wine broker, Domenico Bottega changed the course of the family’s history in 1920, when he planted his own vines. His son, Aldo, shared his passion for wine and spirits and became the director of a renowned local distillery from the early 1950s. In 1977, Aldo founded the Bottega family’s distillery and winery.

Today, Bottega SpA is run by the third generation, Aldo’s children, Sandro, Stefano, and Barbara Bottega. Fast-forward four centuries, Bottega spirits and wines have won multiple gold and silver awards, and can be found in over 150 countries, as well as in high-end hotels, restaurants, duty-free shops, and airlines.