Blood Orange from Sicily

Blood Orange from Sicily, the fruity spirit for a Negroni

The Blood Orange from Sicily by Faude feine Brände is an orange spirit at 42% ABV made from the Tarocco di Catania variety, distilled in the Kaiserstuhl region. Fruity, floral, dry – a clear spirit, not a sweet liqueur, and a wonderful base for a Blood Orange Negroni.

Blood Orange from Sicily is an orange spirit crafted by master distiller Florian Faude in his distillery in Bötzingen at the Kaiserstuhl. To create it, he macerates ripe organic Tarocco di Catania blood oranges in pure grain alcohol until the essential oils from the peel infuse into the spirit. The result is fruity, floral, and surprisingly dry.

Blood orange, blossoms, and a hint of vanilla

In the glass, the Blood Orange from Sicily has a juicy aroma of red citrus, paired with a floral note and that subtle hint of vanilla for which the Tarocco is known.

On the palate, the orange spirit remains dry and clear, without any sweetness. Juicy, fruity, with a fine bitter edge – that is how the red fruit presents itself. The Tarocco is more discreet than the bold Moro variety; it plays with elegance rather than intensity. The initial taste is immediate, the finish long and clean. A spirit that lets the fruit speak for itself.

The blood orange itself owes its deep red color to the cool nights near Mount Etna, which stain the pulp. It is precisely these sun-ripened, cold-hardened fruits that give the spirit its character – a piece of the Sicilian winter in a Black Forest glass.

The Negroni with Sicilian blood orange

Served neat over ice, the blood orange carries you through the summer; in a cocktail, it becomes the fruity soul of a Blood Orange Negroni.

For the Negroni, mix the blood orange spirit with red vermouth and a splash of Amaro, plus a slice of orange – rounder and fruitier than the original. The Faude Vermouth is the obvious partner for this. If you prefer things clearer, enjoy the spirit ice-cold neat or lengthened with tonic and an orange zest. As a gift, the red fruit in the frosted bottle is a hit with any Sicily or Black Forest fan.

If you would like to compare the citrus spirits, try the Bergamot from Calabria alongside it – both come from Florian's friendship in Italy.

Florian, Giancarlo, and the Tarocco

Florian Faude took over his parents' house distillery in Bötzingen in 2006 and built his own distillery in 2017, where the blood orange is made today.

In 2015, while on vacation in Sicily, Florian met the farmer Giancarlo and, by the very next harvest, was standing among his citrus trees at the foot of Mount Etna, where the Tarocco grows organically on fertile volcanic soil. "Grazie amico mio!", Florian calls out – the first blood oranges he brought back became his citrus spirit.

"We macerate the fruit in pure alcohol and distill this flirtation after a short time," explains Florian. Using soft Black Forest water, he brings the spirit to 42% ABV and bottles it without cold filtration in the frosted 500 ml bottle reserved for his four citrus spirits. Florian has received national and international awards for his brandies and spirits, and the blood orange is one of his top sellers. You can find more spirits from Faude feine Brände here.

Well chilled, and Catania is in the glass

Well chilled at 8 degrees, the Blood Orange from Sicily reveals its floral side. Once opened, stored in a cool and dark place, the spirit will last for many months without losing its quality. Salute to Catania!