Solerno – Sicilian Blood Orange Liqueur

Who said you couldn’t get blood oranges in August? Trust me. You can. But first, if I gave awards for the best packaging, this decanter-like bottle from William Grant & Sons would take the Blue Ribbon. The bottle is a clear light red at its squat base, slowly darkening to a smokey red hue that travels up and over the rounded shoulders darkening even further along the thin neck up to the lip at the top. But it’s the punt, the depression in the bottom of the bottle, that wins the “How cool is this award?” The punt is designed after the glass citrus juicers of old, the ones we all grew up with. Take a look at that. Have you ever, I say? The bottle was designed by Stranger & Stranger of London and was inspired by the master glassblowers of Murano in the Venetian lagoon. This is one cool vessel.

And the liqueur had me the moment I opened it. Well, even earlier, if you count the bottle. Solerno is made by macerating whole Sicilian blood oranges and an aromatic lemon distillate in a three step process. First the flesh of Sanguinello oranges is distilled. Second, the zest, with its essential oils, is distilled. And third, to balance the flavor, give the liqueur a bit of complexity and keep it from being sweet orange syrup, Sicilian lemons are distilled.

This is not Gran Marnier. This is not Triple Sec. This is not Cointreau. It is its own vibrant Sanguinello orange grove in a jar. Even the blossoms. Yes, you can smell them. Really. And with its citrus perfume, this liqueur is refined. Light and delicate; it does not smack you in the face with medicinal sweet orange flavor like some orange drinks. This is not syrup. Compared to Solerno, Gran Marnier tastes heavy, thick and decidedly old-fashioned. Solerno is far more delicate and much more complex than Triple Sec and fresher tasting than Cointreau. Drink it and savor the essence of blood orange.

For all its aromatic citrus flavor, Solerno is remarkably subtle and plays very nicely with the other children. It is shown to its best advantage in mixed drinks and cocktails; it is the soul mate of Aperol.

I combined Solerno with Prosecco and blood orange juice and came up with the loveliest sparkling wine cocktail I have ever tasted. And where did I get blood orange juice in August you ask? From my freezer, I answer. I thought ahead, and in January I froze a large amount of the juice of Moro and Sanguinello oranges. I filled ice cube trays with the juice, froze them, popped the cubes and double bagged them in Freezer Ziploc bags. I was home free. Do the same next blood orange season. You’ll be glad you did.

This is such an elegant liqueur. Try it – the bottle alone is a conversation starter for your guests. I would love to hear what you think and how you use it. Send me a photo of your cocktail. I’ll feature it in my Readers’ Gallery.

And as always, bevi responsabilmente!

Solerno Prosecco Cocktail

makes 1

1 ounce blood orange juice OR orange juice
1/2 ounce Solerno
Prosecco

Pour blood orange juice and Solerno into a champagne flute. Add Prosecco and serve.

Note: You can click on any picture for a larger image, and to see a slide show!

I have no affiliation with any product, manufacturer, or site mentioned in this article.