Alpine Cream Hazelnut Liqueur

Crema Alpina Nocciola, Hazelnut with Alpine Cream

Marzadro’s Crema Alpina Nocciola is a cream-based hazelnut liqueur: cream made from fresh Trentino milk meets the aroma of hazelnut. Fine, mild, and velvety, it is pleasantly light at 17% vol. Offered here in a 700 ml bottle.

Crema Alpina Nocciola is the hazelnut liqueur from the Marzadro Distillery. The base is made from cream from fresh Trentino milk, layered with the nutty aroma of hazelnut. At 17% vol., it remains mild enough to be enjoyed after a meal without being overpowering.

In the glass, it shows a warm light brown; on the palate, the Crema Alpina alla Nocciola is velvety and fine-mild, with the nut flavor remaining distinct and well-rounded. A liqueur that tastes like the end of a good evening.

The nut and the milk

Hazelnut and cream are an age-old pair—both are rich in fat, and fat carries aroma.

This is precisely why this combination works so well: the nutty note needs a carrier to hold it, and cream is the best that the Alpine valleys have to offer. What the cows in Trentino eat ends up in this bottle—the velvety tone comes from the milk, not from a laboratory. And because Marzadro opts for a moderate alcohol content, nothing overshadows the nut.

Marzadro’s cream liqueurs are the quintessential expression of the Alpine valleys, as the family calls them. Nocciola is the most down-to-earth among them: no exotic fruit, no gimmicks, just hazelnut and cream.

Nocciola simply means hazelnut—and in Italy, it is more than just an ingredient. The most famous variety in the world comes from Piedmont, and without it, there would be neither Gianduja nor half of Italian confectionery. That a Trentino distillery dedicates a liqueur to it is therefore less of an idea than a matter of course.

The classic for cold evenings

Where the strawberry signifies summer, the Nocciola is the liqueur for October through March.

Well-chilled in a small glass, the nut flavor comes through most clearly. Poured over vanilla ice cream, it becomes a dessert in ten seconds; in an espresso, a treat at the end of the day. And during the Christmas season, it stands alongside gingerbread and spice cookies as if it were made for them. Those who would like to try it first can find it as a miniature.

Eight varieties from the same cellar

All Crema Alpina varieties share the same cream base and the same 17% vol.—what distinguishes them is the aroma layered on top.

In addition to hazelnut, there is Pistacchio with pistachio, Caffè with coffee, Limone, Strawberry with wild strawberries, melon, marzipan, and salted caramel. If you like the nut, you should place the marzipan next to it—almond and hazelnut go well together. You can find all eight in the Crema Alpina liqueurs collection.

Production takes place in Nogaredo in the Adige Valley, not far from Lake Garda, where Sabina Marzadro began distilling in 1949. Today, Andrea, Anna, and Stefano Marzadro run the house as a family business—those vacationing at the lake can visit the distillery.

No occasion necessary, just a free evening

Crema Alpina Nocciola belongs in a glass well-chilled at 8 to 10 degrees—unlike the distillery's grappa, cream liqueurs belong in the refrigerator. Once opened, it will keep there for several weeks. Over ice, in coffee, or neat: this liqueur needs no occasion, just an evening where there is nothing left to do.