The Best Limoncello
Our picks for the best limoncellos
Limoncello is one of the most representative liquors in Italy, known for its potential as a digestive, which is why it is customary to drink it after the delicious delicacies of Italian tables; and it is considered as a family tradition that is maintained over time. If you want one of these liqueurs on your table, we invite you to review our selection of the 10 best limoncellos on the market.
1. Villa Massa Limoncello
When searching among the best limoncellos of 2022, it is convenient to resort to classic products such as the one made by Villa Massa. This Limoncello has an old family recipe that is made with three basic ingredients: lemons, alcohol and sugar.
The lemons correspond to the Óvalo de Sorrento variety, cultivated under a Protected Geographical Indication. Once the skins of the lemons have been macerated in alcohol for 14 days, the mixture is filtered and the syrup is added, leaving the product to rest so that it gains body and flavour.
The result is a limoncello with 30 degrees of alcohol and that stands out for its yellow tone with greenish touches. The aroma of lemon with hints of herbs and the usual bitterness in this type of product is also noticeable. Something completed with the fresh and sweet notes that the liquor brings to the mouth, leaving really pleasant sensations. A comprehensive profile for a product that is also among the cheap limoncellos on the current market.
2. Dolceterra Limoncello from Sorrento Gioia Luisa
Gioia Luisa SRL has been dedicated for decades to producing an exclusive limoncello using lemons from Sorrento and the island of Capri, to preserve all the characteristics of this peculiar fruit. Also, it is a brand known for the preparation of the popular lemon liqueur biscuits and the cream of this same ingredient.
With a traditional recipe, the Dolceterra liqueur can be considered the best limoncello, since it lets you perceive the aroma and flavor of this fruit, whose thick rind full of essential oils provides the unmistakable taste that makes this limoncello stand out in most dishes. Italian tables.
Of this product we highlight its presentation in a 500 ml bottle with a peculiar and very pretty shape, which can be seen well as a thank you gift when you are invited to eat or for the birthday of some Italian food fan.
3. Perucchi Limoncello Digestive
Limoncello Perucchi is a product made from the secret recipe of Augustus Perucchi. A liquor that has a manufacture based on lemons, quality alcohol, sugar and water. All this without preservatives, dyes or anything else.
The result is a liquor with a high level of quality and purity that follows the patterns of the Campania session. However, this liquor is made in Spain, which is an interesting surprise. One of the few differences in the liquor is that it has an alcoholic level of 26%, somewhat lower than usual.
Regarding its presentation, it retains the most traditional aspect. The product is sold in a 1-liter bottle format with the classic cork stopper, ideal for keeping it in good condition for longer.
4. Panizo lemon liqueur
Some users have rated this Panizo liqueur as the best value for money limoncello, as it is cheap and has been made with pomace brandy, which has macerated the chopped lemons for three months that enhance the flavor of this limoncello, which is slightly sweetened after maceration.
Consequently, a liqueur with intense flavors and sweetness that is pleasant to the palate is obtained, with an intense aroma of lemon peel and quince, so its main use is as a digestif that is served after a meal.
Regarding the presentation of this product, users make favorable comments about the design of the bottle, which, in addition to being attractive and traditional, is very easy to serve to take advantage of the 700 ml content with 25% alcohol. This bottle is non-slip, has a built-in pourer and a natural cork stopper with a wooden top.
5. Nelet Craft lemon liqueur 27% Vol
As an alternative to the best limoncello of the moment, which is made exclusively with lemons from Sorrento, this liqueur is recommended as a national product made with lemons grown in the Regions of Castellón de la Plana. This region is known for harvesting citrus fruits of excellent quality and for this reason its fruits are ideal for making artisanal liqueurs.
In this sense, Nelet takes advantage of the properties of these crops to distill and macerate the lemons with water and sugar, thus obtaining a liqueur with 27% alcohol and a deep and intense flavor, which is best appreciated if served cold or with ice, alone or accompanied in cocktails.
This liqueur is available in two presentations: 50 cl and 70 cl. Regarding its appearance, the glass bottle reveals the slightly yellow liquid with greenish tones, which corroborates its natural composition, without preservatives or dyes.
6. Rooms and Sirvent SL Limoncello Bello Castello
Another good quality national product that can help you decide which limoncello to buy is this one from Salas y Sirvent SL, a lemon-based liqueur in a 3-litre presentation, one of the cheapest, ideal for having a good supply of this drink.
This liquor reaches an alcoholic strength of 25%, so its consumption must be responsible and moderate. For its part, the quality of this product is backed by the trajectory of Distilleries Salas and Sirvent, which since 1945 has positioned itself in the market for the production of pomace, liqueurs and other alcoholic beverages, noted for their intense flavors and aromas.
For this reason, Bello Castello limoncello is used as a base in the preparation of cocktails, being the favorite ingredient of many bartenders. The same happens in the elaboration of traditional sweets where the lemon is the protagonist of the flavors.
7. Distilleries Vega Alta SL Limonchelo Vealt
Vega Alta can be considered the best brand of limoncello on the market, as this liqueur is the flagship product of the distillery, made from a family recipe that preserves the entire tradition of several generations and has managed to position itself in the national beverage trade..
The Lacarcel Barceló family has been dedicated to the production of liqueurs and wines since 1954 in the province of Murcia and, currently, they have reached facilities of 7 thousand meters in the town of La Alberca to continue producing their delicious liqueurs.
As for Limonchelo Vealt, it has 28% alcohol and its Spanish elaboration with Italian raw material preserves all the Mediterranean flavors derived from the rind of Sorrento lemons. In this way, a soft drink is obtained on the palate, with a pleasant flavor that should be taken cold or with crushed ice, ideal for after meals.
8. Cellini Limoncello
If you have tried the classic Limoncello, you will surely be surprised by what Cellini presents to us. And it is that, unlike conventional products, this one has a base in which grappa is present. This alcohol is similar to the pomace brandy that we usually find in Spain.
This difference marks a considerable change regarding the taste and the sensations that the product generates when enjoying it. The same goes for the lemons used, which in this case come from Sicily.
The result is a drink with a very different profile, a sweet and pleasant touch and an alcohol level of 30%. The liquor also has the greenish-yellow tone typical of products with a higher level of maceration, which shows us the quality that this Limoncello offers us.
9. Perle di Sole Limoncello 30%
The individual presentation of Limoncello de Perle di Sole in a 500 cc bottle allows you to keep a natural liqueur always cold in the fridge to finish off a good meal, cleanse the palate and enjoy the company of your partner, friends or family.
Using a traditional recipe, this liqueur is made from the rind of fresh Sorrento lemons, a very special variety from southern Italy, characterized by the concentration of high-quality essential oils on its skin. The pure alcohol infusion of Perle di Sole lemons offers a deep range of citrus flavors and aromas, making it suitable for preparing cocktails and desserts such as chocolates and candies.
It should be noted that this liquor has 30% alcohol, so it is recommended to consume it moderately. Similarly, the main recommendation is to serve it cold or with ice to improve the consumption experience.
10. Luxardo Limoncello Liqueur
The Italian tradition of good food does not expire, on the contrary, it is strengthened over time to keep families together around the table. In this sense, limoncello has remained the favorite digestif to drink after lunch or to prepare cocktails in the afternoon or evening.
For this reason, Luxardo’s limoncello is emerging today as one of the most traditional, as it preserves the simplicity of its ingredients with an artisanal elaboration. It is the yellow lemon peels infused in alcohol with water and sugar that give the liquor that characteristic color, as well as its powerful flavor and aroma.
The indication to consume this 27° alcohol liqueur is to serve it very cold after a meal to take advantage of its digestive properties. Also, it can be used as a cocktail base, salad dressing or ice cream flavoring, thus expanding its usefulness.
Origin and use
One of the most traditional drinks in Italy is limoncello, a liqueur that is prepared in an artisanal way using family recipes. But, if you don’t have the opportunity to go to Italy to have a traditional limoncello, don’t worry. Fortunately, we also find a wide range of this liquor on the market, so you should read our guide to buying the best limoncello.
History
The story about the origin of limoncello is surrounded by legends and traditions, of which it is difficult to know for sure which one is true. Therefore, there is no doubt that this liqueur comes from southern Italy where it has been widely used as a digestive after meals since 1900.
Regarding the versions about the origin of limoncello, one of the most powerful stories is the one that involves María Farace, a woman who at the end of 1800 had a garden with lemons in her house, which were used to prepare the artisanal liquor using the skin cut from the fruits and macerated with alcohol and sugar. The drink became popular when Maria’s grandson, Massimo Canale, opened a bar after the war and served the liqueur made by his grandmother there.
One of the most mythical stories about the origin of this liquor is that of Zeus, the Greek God who revealed to men the recipe for this sun-colored drink. Another fantastic version indicates that it was on the island of Capri, also known as “the land of the sirens”, where these mythological beings created the citrus liqueur. Later, they taught the recipe to some friars of the monastery, who ate it between prayers.
Currently, limoncello is an internationally known liqueur, for its artisanal elaboration with lemons of the Sorrento variety, a crop that is produced in the Campania region in southern Italy and also in Sicily. For this reason, all measures have been taken to protect the native product of the Amalfi Coast with the Protected Geographical Indication for crops from the Vico Equense, Massa Lubrense and Capri Island regions.
cocktails
When starting a comparison of limoncellos, you will realize that the usefulness of this liqueur goes beyond its properties as a powerful digestive, since its intense aromas and flavors are used in the preparation of numerous cocktails, many of them ideal for summer.
One of the most popular mixtures is that of limoncello with tonic water or also with sparkling wine for the preparation of long drinks. But, if you want to add color to a cocktail with limoncello, you can do it using raspberries and basil. Here we explain how to make it cheap and tasty.
You will need a cup and a half of raspberries, 1 lemon cut into sixths, 2 ounces of limoncello, 4 ounces of citrusy vodka, ¼ cup of simple syrup, chilled sparkling rosé wine and 12 basil leaves roughly chopped, not forgetting to add ice.
For the preparation you will need a small jar in which you are going to unite the raspberries, the lemons, the basil and the syrup, stirring until the raspberries are crushed. Afterwards, the liqueurs should be added and refrigerated for at least 30 minutes. When serving, place crushed ice in the glasses and add a little of the fruit and liquor mixture, then use the sparkling wine to serve until the glass is full. Finally, decorate the cocktail with raspberries, lemon slices and a few sprigs of basil.
Conservation
The recommendation to drink this liquor is that it should be served very cold, so it can be stored even in the freezer without problems, since the high sugar and alcohol content in this drink will not allow it to freeze completely. For its part, closed bottles can also be stored in a dry and dark environment.
Nutritional value
When buying a liqueur, we quickly look at how much it costs, but it is also necessary to check the nutritional value, especially if it is going to be used frequently, as is the case with limoncello taken as a digestif.
For this liqueur, the nutritional content can vary from one manufacturer to another, but as a generic reference in 100 ml of limoncello you can find more or less 300 calories and 45 g of carbohydrates.
drink responsibly
Any alcoholic beverage should be consumed responsibly and in moderation, especially when it comes to limoncello, as being a sweet liqueur, some users may drink it quickly and then perceive the effects of the high degree of alcohol.
On the other hand, this product should not be consumed by minors, pregnant women or drivers. The latter is very important to avoid any accident under the influence of alcohol.
