Calabrian Bergamot

Bergamot from Calabria as a fragrant spirit from the Kaiserstuhl

The Bergamot from Calabria by Faude feine Brände is a bergamot spirit with 42% ABV, distilled at the Kaiserstuhl. Complex, citrus-fresh, floral – the fruit you know from Earl Grey tea, here as a clear spirit instead of a sweet liqueur.

Bergamot from Calabria is a bergamot spirit by master distiller Florian Faude, crafted in his distillery in Bötzingen at the Kaiserstuhl. For this spirit, he macerates ripe organic bergamots from southern Italy in pure grain alcohol, capturing the essential oils of their peels. This makes it zesty, fresh, multi-layered, and light-footed all at once.

Citrus-fresh, floral, with a hint of Earl Grey

In the glass, the bergamot exudes an intense scent of fresh citrus peel, bergamot blossom, and that tart spice that characterizes Earl Grey.

On the palate, the spirit is dry and clear; not a gram of sugar distracts from it. The fruit displays its full complexity—there are over 350 aromas in a bergamot, more than in many other scents in nature. The initial taste is immediate, fresh, and lively, with a long, clean finish. A spirit that places the fruit above all else and manages entirely without sweetness.

Anyone who likes Earl Grey will recognize the bergamot immediately—only here, it isn't steaming in a teacup, but sparkling with high-proof intensity in a snifter. So close, yet completely different.

In tonic, the bergamot becomes an aperitif

Served neat and well-chilled from a small glass, the Bergamot from Calabria shows off its entire aroma; in a long drink with tonic, it becomes a refreshing summer beverage.

Pour 4 cl of bergamot spirit over ice, top up with good tonic water, add a piece of lemon peel—and you will mentally find yourself on the Calabrian coast. Ice-cold as a digestif after a rich meal, the citrus freshness awakens the palate once more. In its frosted bottle, the bergamot also makes a lovely gift for anyone who loves both southern Italy and the Black Forest.

If you love the citrus family, try the Blood Orange from Sicily and the Mandarin from Sicily—three spirits born from the same Italian friendship.

Florian and his Italian connection

Florian Faude took over his parents' artisanal distillery in Bötzingen in 2006 and built his own distillery in 2017, where the bergamot is now created.

Florian sources the raw materials for his citrus spirits from southern Italy, where he has been visiting a farmer friend since 2015, walking among his fragrant citrus trees. The bergamot, a hybrid of bitter orange and lime, grows at the southernmost tip of Calabria, right across from Sicily. It has been cultivated there since the mid-17th century—never as a fruit to eat, but for the captivating oils in its peel, which fine perfumeries still prize today.

"For a spirit, we macerate the fruit in pure alcohol so it releases its full aroma, and distill the 'flirt' after a short time," explains Florian. Using soft Black Forest water, he brings the spirit to 42% ABV and bottles it without chill-filtration in the frosted 500 ml bottle reserved for his four citrus spirits. Grazie e Salute! You can find more spirits from Faude feine Brände from the Kaiserstuhl here.

So cold that Calabria feels near

Ice-cold at 6 to 8 degrees, the Bergamot from Calabria reveals its citrus scent most clearly. Stored in a cool, dark place after opening, the spirit will last for many months without losing quality. One sip, and Calabria is very close indeed.