When a dessert seems too heavy after dinner, you might try a small aperitif of limoncello. A good limoncello is refreshing, sweet, and works well as a post-meal digestive. A limoncello is not only an excellent after-dinner refresher, but it can also be added to cocktails and desserts. To make sure you are getting a natural, delicious limoncello, you have to be very selective. Which are the best limoncello brands?
Those who prefer the best limoncello are those who use fresh, Italian lemons to make the aperitif, and do not add too many artificial flavors or ingredients. Each brand has a slightly different taste, therefore it comes down to individual preference. Stay reading to find out how to pick the best limoncello, and what the best brands to choose from, if you’d like to enjoy it after a meal or on a hot afternoon.
What Is Limoncello?
You need to know a little bit more about limoncello before you can choose the best brand. Here are some tips on how to choose the best brand. Lemoncello, as the name suggests, is an alcoholic drink made from lemons. It is usually made with lemon zest, sugar, water, and an alcoholic base like vodka. The drink originated in southern Italy and has since become popular worldwide. Limoncello is a citrusy sweet drink used in cocktails as well as on its own. Its bright yellow color makes it easy to identify.
How Is It Made?
It is traditionally made with lemons picked by hand, before they even reach the ground, for the best limoncello. Regardless of how lemon zest is obtained, it is mixed with spirits like vodka or Everclear and allowed to sit for one to four weeks. In order to create a stronger flavor, the zest may be simmered together with sugar and water before being strained and left to settle for a few weeks. There is a lot of room for experimentation with Limoncello, so you won’t make it exactly the same way every time.
What Does It Taste Like?
There is something quite distinctive about Limoncello. There is a sharp citrus flavor to the lemon zest, but the sugar balances it out. It is neither too bitter nor too sour, but not too sweet either. The brands make their limoncello in a different way, so each will have a different flavor blend, with some being sweeter, others more citrusy, and others blended with other flavors.
How To Choose The Best Limoncello Brand
After learning more about limoncello, here are some things to look for when choosing one:
Balance Of Flavors
Obviously, each brand of limoncello will have a different blend and balance of flavors, and what you prefer is a matter of taste. A limoncello with a more zesty flavor might appeal to you, or you may prefer one with a sweeter flavor. There should be a good description of the balance of flavors on almost all limoncello products, so you can get a good idea of what it tastes like before you buy it.
Alcohol Content (ABV – Alcohol By Volume)
You need to determine what alcohol content you’re comfortable drinking when drinking limoncello. It usually has a 25-28% alcohol content, but this can vary. Many of these drinks are made to be low-alcohol, but others are made to be high-alcohol. A limoncello that is not too high in alcohol might be a good choice if you are drinking it straight. If you are mixing it with a tonic water or similar, then the alcohol content shouldn’t be an issue.
Country Of Origin
If you want the real deal, you will want to buy limoncello made in Italy. This is a sure way to get the true taste of limoncello. The lemons have also been handpicked in Italy to give the limoncello the most traditional flavor.
Bottle Size
When you just want a small amount of limoncello to keep at home for after dinner sipping, then a small bottle is perfect. Keeping some to share with family and friends is a good idea with a bigger bottle.
Alcohol-Free
Several limoncello brands offer alcohol-free limoncello, so you can enjoy the refreshing drink without consuming alcohol!
The 11 Best Limoncello Brands
These limoncello brands all offer an authentic flavor of limoncello, but each is slightly different, so you have a lot of choices! Let’s take a closer look!
1. Limoncello Villa Massa Of Sorrento
The lemons used to make Limoncello Villa Massa come from Sorrento PGI, which makes it as authentic as possible. The limoncello is created in Sorrento using traditional processes, mostly by hand. The recipe that started it all has been handed down from generation to generation.
Limoncello is made exclusively from the rinds and zest of PGI lemons grown in Sorrento, which are thick and rich in essential oils, which give the Villa Massa limoncello its fresh, distinctive taste. Intense green and yellow color come straight from the lemons, and the overall taste is reminiscent of a Sorrento garden; leafy, aromatic, and fresh lemons with balanced flavors.
2. Limoncello Di Capri
With the only other ingredients being alcohol, water, and sugar, Limoncello Di Capri is made only from PGI Sorrento lemon peels and zest. Keeping with Capri’s traditions and methods, the limoncello is made using artisanal and natural methods. Limoncello offers a refreshing refresher after a meal or whenever you want something zesty and sweet.
The Limoncello Di Capri will transport you to the coast side, sitting in lemon gardens and listening to the sound of the sea. Using a cold infusion of lemon peels, this liqueur contains no added colors, flavors, or stabilizers. Every sip carries a distinctive fragrance and is a perfect balance of sweet and sour.
3. Bellini Limoncello
As the world’s most famous Chianti producer, Bellini searched all over Italy to find the perfect limoncello recipe, and created Bellini Limoncello by using Ovale di Sorrento lemons found on the hillside in Sorrento. They created a signature limoncello that is sweet and lemony, but vibrant and incredibly refreshing at the same time. It is best served cold after dinner, as a digestive and cleanser that you will love.
Described as a lemon-lime sorbet blended with an Alpine cough drop, the Bellini Limoncello has a fruity, sweet, medium-to-full body. Herby accents round off the lemon rind finish. This bright electric yellow-green beverage will soon become your favorite after-dinner drink.
4. Limoncello d’Italia Marcati Collection2
With age-old recipes and the best natural juices and flavors that southern Italy has to offer, Marcati’s limoncello is a blend of infusions that are unparalleled. With Limoncello D’Italia Marcati Gagliano, you get a fresh lemon drink without any added sourness. With a perfect blend of sweet and sour, you can still taste the fresh, citrusy flavor and aroma of the local lemons.
There is something special about this limoncello, not only because of its balanced flavors but also because of its elegant bottle. As enjoyable as the flavors of the liqueur are, it makes for a great liqueur to serve guests or to enjoy yourself after dinner, appreciating the fresh and natural flavors along with the gorgeous color.
5. Caravella Limoncello
The original recipe for Caravella Limoncello dates back to 1898, using the sweet, fresh lemon juice and tart peels of lemons harvested on the Amalfi coast for an authentic flavor. In addition to being refreshing, Caravella Limoncello has a sweet and festive flavor that can be enjoyed straight up, or mixed with a cocktail for a sweet, festive taste.
Despite its green-yellow color, Caravella Limoncello tastes almost as lemony as it does lime, and you will notice an overwhelmingly refreshing lemon zest flavor every time you drink it. Despite the lemon kick, it is not overpowering. The sweetness and acidity combine to create a tasty, enjoyable liqueur.
6. Elegant Green Apple Limoncello
The Morey Limoncello is different from the rest of the Limoncello we have listed because it is made in Spain, not Italy. With a sweet, citrusy, and lemony flavor, this limoncello is produced in the Balearic island of Mallorca from lemon zest, followed by a traditional seeping process.
Known as a digestion aid after a meal, Morey Limoncello is a delicious drink that has a mild, refined taste, which some might find more to their liking. It will make for a great addition to your after-dinner drinks or for your own enjoyment. It makes a great addition to guests’ or your own after-dinner drinks.
7. Hand-painted Jar ‘LEMON’ filled with Limoncello of Sorrento
The Luster Lavender Limoncello is another standout limoncello on the list, and for two reasons. It’s made in the United States, and it’s infused with more than lemon flavor. An aromatic and refreshing liqueur perfectly suited to summer afternoons, this limoncello combines tart lemons with fragrant lavender. Many will enjoy the first taste of limoncello’s refreshing, tart taste and the aftertaste of lavender’s delightful flavors.
This citrus-floral liqueur works well on its own as well as in cocktails. It makes for a great sweet cocktail addition. Luster Lavender Limoncello is great if you’re looking for something a little different. It’s not authentic Italian, but it tastes great for a variety of occasions.
8. Limoncello d’Italia Marcati Collection
Almost everyone in Italy knows about Gioia Luisa Limoncello, and for good reason. It has a well-balanced sharpness and sweetness that leaves behind a delicious aftertaste. Located in the region of Sorrento, Gioia Luisa uses only the best lemons in order to make limoncello with a unique taste.
Using only PGI lemons and only harvesting and manufacturing it using traditional methods, Gioia Luisa Limoncello is as authentic as it gets. The Gioia Luisa Limoncello is the perfect choice if you want a traditional, true-to-taste limoncello made from the best lemons, harvested, and processed properly!
9. Limoncello Gagliano Tradizionale
A Spanish limoncello that deserves its place on this list is LiM Limoncello Liqueur! Each peel from the Mediterranean lemons is carefully macerated for 50 days, bringing out all of their bright, natural citrus essences. A complex liqueur is created by the process of making LiM limoncello. It is sweet and tart but well balanced. With the hook cork on the bottle, you can enjoy a sip or two of the LiM Limoncello after dinner, and the rest of the limoncello will remain fresh until your next taste..
10. Dolceterra Limoncello of Sorrento
With Lina’s Crema Di Limoncello, you can enjoy a creamy and refreshing after-dinner drink while still enjoying the flavors of limoncello. With a delicate blend of creaminess, lemon tartness, and subtle sweetness, this Crema Di Limoncello is made in the Netherlands. A great liqueur to enjoy on its own, on ice, with coffee, or added to any cocktail, it can be enjoyed in many ways.
In addition to the light lemon flavor and the creamy texture, it offers a complex sip that is filled with flavors that pair so well together, and it just gives a little bit of a different experience than traditional limoncello. There is also a lower alcohol content in Crema Di Limoncello than in non-creamy options, making it suitable for a range of diets.
11. Design Imports Lemoncello Lemons Citrus
Lemon peels from Ovale de Sorrento, which grow along the Mediterranean coast of Sorrento, are used exclusively in Landucci Limoncello. With this process, the limoncello takes on a crisp citrus flavor, and it has an authentic taste as well, with a balanced taste of sweet and tart. The peels of the lemons really shine through, giving you a very refreshing taste.
The Landucci Limoncello makes a great aperitif after dinner, or it can be added to cocktails for a citrus kick and a sweet, tart note. Compared to other limoncello brands, Landucci Limoncello has a lower alcohol content. It’s good to have around if you don’t want an overpowering alcohol taste.
What Is The Best Way To Drink Limoncello?
When traditionally, authentically harvested lemons are used for limoncello, it produces a drink with balanced, yet strong flavors. It is important that all the effort put into creating this drink is properly enjoyed. It is best to serve limoncello straight in a shot glass or tasting glass in order to enjoy its flavor and aroma at its best. To fully appreciate the flavors of limoncello, serve it straight from the freezer, so that it is ice cold when you sip it.
Nonetheless, you can enjoy limoncello in any way you choose, including over ice, mixed with tonic water, or even in cocktails. In other words, if you are getting the best flavor out of limoncello for yourself, then there is no right or wrong way to enjoy it.
The Best Limoncello Brands
Browse through our recommendations on how to choose the best limoncello brands. There are a variety of options to ensure that there is a limoncello option to suit everyone. After dinner or on a hot summer’s day, you’ll swear you’re on the Amalfi coast with this authentic Italian aperitif!
Related Questions
Is Limoncello A Sipping Drink?
In contrast to a shot, Limoncello is a drink to sip rather than consume in large quantities. The aperitif nature of Limoncello makes it a great option for after dinner, as it refreshes your palate while digestion is aided.
Is Limoncello High In Sugar?
Even though limoncello is high in sugar, it is best enjoyed in small amounts. And even though it is high in sugar, it doesn’t have to be bad for you.
What Is One Serving Of Limoncello?
A serving of limoncello should be around 112 ounces. Tasting glasses are the perfect size for this. They give you just the right amount.