#I love royal blue so much. truly a top-tier color.

[morrigan-sims]

Zenara Raventhorn

[precisemuseum]

Puyo Puyo PC-98 Manual Translation

Once upon a time, in the age when the power of magic was bestowed upon the world, a powerful sorcerer created a great spell named "Owanimo." One of the strongest spells of all, it could banish monsters to a space between dimensions, but he sealed it away, recording it only in his "Book of Magic." 

Not because it was forbidden knowledge or incredibly hard to use, but because to him, it seemed useless. And thus, the spell entered a dormant state, awaiting a day when a new sorcerer would come forth...

Years came and went until finally, the seal came undone with the appearance of a great sorceress: Arle Nadja. One day, this auburn-haired girl with golden eyes came across the Book of Magic.

"Owanimo...?" Arle studied the chapter on forbidden spells for what seemed like hours. "When four monsters of the same color are in your sights, chant this spell loudly. The Goddess of Time shall listen, and whisk the monsters away to a space between dimensions." 

Arle continued to read, learning the Owanimo spell, but then closed it with a heavy sigh once she finished.

Why set it aside like that? Well, Arle had never seen "four monsters of the same color" as the spellbook described. 

"I spent so much time reading, and it's not even a spell I can use for anything..." 

But just as fate brought the Book of Magic into Arle's hands by chance, so it brought from the world of darkness the very monsters she had read about.

And thus, a great battle awaits. With her great magic abilities, and the newfound power of "Owanimo," Arle Nadja sets out to protect the world.

CHARACTERS A・C・P

Arle Nadja The protagonist of the game and the (aspiring) sorceress who released the spell "Owanimo". Nobody knows how she ended up this way, but despite looking like she wouldn't hurt a fly, she's actually a merciless girl that slaughters innocent Puyo. She currently attends a magic school, but she's already too scary for anything to stand in her way. That's my opinion, anyway.

Carbuncle During the game, when you find your eyes moving towards the center of the screen... Awww~! He's sleeping!!! This is Carbuncle. When he's lying still, he almost looks like a loaf of bread, but as he sings and dances he shows off a wide range of movement and facial expressions. A truly profound deuteragonist.

Puyo Puyo Despite their fate as short-lived, jelly-like monsters who are stacked and popped, they have managed to secure a leading role this time around, and even get to dance on the title screen. They're sure to enjoy this special opportunity to perform on a grand stage in five different colors. Looking at them with an empty stomach will reveal their appetizing nature and make you hungry. Hehe.

Arle, the protagonist, is brimming with curiosity.

PRACTICE STAGE ENEMY MONSTERS

Skeleton T While he appears as the epitome of a tea-loving Japanese man, he is a fine monster as well. He will be the first opponent you face during your trials. But you'll find that in a rather endearing way, he's a miserable fool who doesn't even know how to rotate his Puyo. Boohoo. Sipping bitter green tea during battle will instantly make you one of his tea-drinking buddies.

Nasu Grave An eggplant. Specifically, a Kamo eggplant. On top of that, he makes for a rather strange presence. Just what the heck is this thing? Despite appearances, his defensive power is high, so novices might find themselves struggling a bit. You'll have no choice but to keep at it and apply a steady technique. But in the end, your opponent is still just an eggplant. A regular talking eggplant. …Heh.

Mummy Even though it's called Mummy, it isn't a mommy. It's a mummy. What? You already knew that? Oh, deary me, I'll wrap it up then. (←One-man comedy routine.) Mummy is an opponent that makes you want to bully it because the crying face it makes when it's about to lose is just too cute. Sorry, Mummy.

The Goddess of Time whisking the monsters away.

BATTLE STAGES 1-6

Draco Centauros As you might expect from someone who shouts "Rawr", this half-dragon being takes pride in those sharp horns. Appearing as the first obstacle of your quest, this opponent has top tier judgment and piece precision but takes forever to think things through. Because of that, she's a pitiful lass who is only ranked as a third-rate monster girl... You heard me right! Draco is a girl. I'm sure someone around you thought she was a boy...

Suketoudara A pollock who has an aura of coming from some far-off sea. However, he seems to have the character of an Edokko​. He's an athletic-type who tends to err on the side of caution. However, he's also arrogant. When he wins, he makes a face that screams "You're no match for me!", which is truly aggravating. Many say they especially don't want to lose to him.

(TL Note: Literally meaning “Child of Edo”, Edokko is refers to a person born and raised in Edo (renamed Tokyo in 1868). It implies personality traits such as being assertive, straightforward, cheerful, perhaps a bit mercantile.)

Sukiyapodes Let's just get this out of the way; he has a giant foot. It measures about 16 mon. Even though he has a complex about it, he directs that frustration into bettering himself. Well, we're not sure if that last part's true, but he always has a cheerful expression on his face as he slowly and steadily builds precise chains. He's a bit of an unpleasant guy.

(TL Note: mon is a unit of length for measuring the size of one's foot. 1 mon is equivalent to 2.4 cm. His foot is 38.4 cm, or 15.12 in.)

Harpy Now then, it is time for Miss Harpy's song. She loves singing more than she loves having three meals a day. She could sing for ages if no one stopped her. If there was something like a "Puyo Puyo World Karaoke Tournament", she'd win for sure. But unfortunately, this is only Puyo Puyo. 

Sasori Man “How d'ya do, partner? I’m a famous Naniwa salesman known 'round these parts as Sasori Man. Put 'er there! Huh? Yer askin' for my secret to success? I ain't spillin' the beans no matter how much ya beg. That's somethin' to look forward to when we do battle. Till then, happy trails.”

Panotty A flute-playing boy. But honestly, he's nothing more than a noisy, mischievous brat. He disrupts his opponent's chains by dropping large amounts of Nuisance Puyo on them. Everyone has fallen victim to his antics at least once. What a truly ruthless Puyo technique. For when his last flute sounds, the dead shall be raised. Just kidding.

BATTLE STAGES 7-12

Zombie A zombie. All of his lines are stuff like "Ugheeee." This zombie is quite the formidable trickster. Sometimes he will be swiftly defeated, and other times he will take you by surprise and suddenly pull off a huge chain. If you don't take him seriously, you'll find yourself in a tough spot. Battle with caution.

Witch In the forest stands a grand mansion. Living there was a very ordinary family whose lineage can be traced back hundreds of years. The family's only daughter was born and was raised in a very ordinary fashion. But there was one thing that was not so ordinary...That young lady was a haughty witch. Ohohoho! Ohohohoho... *fadeout*

Zou Daimaou Pawoo! The mammoth mogul has arrived! A young aristocrat who comes from an ancient and distinguished line of royal Indian elephants. An irritating fellow who likes bad puns, gives his words an elephantine quality, and casually rhymes. He also enjoys Puyo Puyo. Plus, he's strong. An aphant-garde aristocrat whose ground-shaking chains are as sharp as his tusks.

Schezo A silver-haired man with deep blue eyes. Schezo, the embodiment of picturesque beauty. However, he's been deemed a pervert thanks to Arle, and strives to restore his honor by challenging her. 

B-E-A-U-T-Y! Perfection won't pass you by!  P-R-I-N-C-E! Of the Puyo Puyo World, it's meant to be! Go now! Go forth! Show us what you're really worth! 

...Well, this has turned into something rather silly..

Minotauros Risking life and limb for his duties, a bull who lives by the code of chivalry, leaving a flurry of cherry blossoms in his wake. That is Minotauros. Ever since Rulue rescued him long ago, he has served as her devoted attendant like a faithful dog. Seeing him like this brings some to tears. For Rulue, he'd go through hell and high water. He's giving it his all today, and his one-eyed look is as cool as ever.

Rulue A woman truly worthy of the title of "Fighting Queen". The queen of the Puyo Puyo world. There's nothing that she can't obtain... Oh wait, there is something — Satan's love. Possessing a very jealous nature, Rulue is always lying in wait, ready to obliterate anyone who gets close to Satan. It's rumored that her true strength is even greater than Satan's.

BATTLE STAGE 13

Satan He is the king that rules over heaven and earth. He soars the skies with wings that slice through wind. His two horns point towards the heavens. His sharp eyes are like glistening gems. Cloaked in the veil of night, his devilish hand beckons you in. He is darkness’s cherished protege. It seems playing Puyo Puyo is a guilty pleasure of his. His true strength is unknown. It's said he's won the Puyo Puyo World Championship a countless number of times. In any case, he's obviously a bigshot. Can you truly defeat Satan, who boasts of elite skills in speed and chaining?

(You can download the PDF here)

[wineanddinosaur]

Next Round: Italicus Is Reviving a Classic Italian Liqueur

On this “Next Round” episode, host Adam Teeter chats with Giuseppe Gallo, the founder of Italicus Aperitivo. Gallo begins by detailing his background in the beverage alcohol space and how his upbringing inspired him to eventually explore Italian liqueur.

Gallo explains his efforts to resurrect the category of the historic Rosolio aperitivo, how Italicus’s bottle is inspired by the Amalfi Coast seaside, and why he concocted the recipe for the liqueur with cocktails in mind. Finally, Gallo shares why focusing on the U.S. market is imperative to any spirit brand’s success.

Tune in and visit https://rosolioitalicus.com/ to learn more about Italicus.

Listen Online

Listen on Apple Podcasts

Listen on Spotify

Or Check Out the Conversation Here

Adam Teeter: From VinePair’s New York City headquarters, I’m Adam Teeter, and this is a “VinePair Podcast Next Round” conversation. We bring you these conversations between our regular podcast episodes to give you a better picture of what’s going on in the alcohol beverage market. Today, I am really excited to be joined by Giuseppe Gallo, the CEO, owner, and founder of Italicus Aperitivo. Giuseppe, thank you so much for joining me.

Giuseppe Gallo: My pleasure, Adam. Hello, everyone.

A: Giuseppe, first of all, where do we find you today?

G: Today I’m in my lovely office in London, England but when possible, I’m trying to be at home in Italy.

A: Thank you again for joining us. I’d love it if you could start the conversation by telling us a little bit about Italicus and your background.

G: Yes, of course. I have always been working, breathing, and living in the hospitality industry. I’m originally from the beautiful Amalfi Coast, the south side of Salerno, to be more precise. I studied hospitality. My family has always been involved with gastronomy work. My mom used to make homemade limoncello when I was a kid, and I was sitting next to her and helping her.

A: Oh, wow.

G: In my 20s, I finished school and I started to travel across northern Italy and then different countries in Europe. I’ve been to the U.S. as well and studied at the Montclair University of Hospitality Management. Then, I landed in London, U.K. in 2005, and 16 years later, I have a wife, two kids, and a mortgage. I don’t think I’m going to move out of the U.K. soon. From a very humble background working as a bartender, I became manager of the Sanderson Hotel, which is part of the Morgans Hotel Group in London. Then, I joined Bacardi Global Brands as a Martini Rossi Global Brand Ambassador for almost 10 years. In 2015, I started my own consulting company called ItalSpirits. Then, in 2016, I decided to launch Italicus Rosolio di Bergamotto, the quintessential Italian apèritif.

A: Where did the idea come from to launch Italicus?

G: It was a combination of factors. The first one was that I identified that in the alcohol industry, mainly in Italy, there was no super-premium aperitif.

A: Interesting.

G: I always look at what France did, which was to establish a regulated category like Cognac, Armagnac, or Champagne and focus very much on building the category and value into it. Looking at the Italian perspective, if you think about the two top aperitif brands well known across the world, they both range between $10 and $15 per bottle.

A: Yeah.

G: Then I said, “Why? We have so much more to offer from Italy.” First of all, we have probably the most powerful brand that any other country has, which is Made in Italy.

A: Yes, I agree.

G: When I think about Italy, I think about Ferrari, Ducati, Armani, Dolce & Gabbana. Those are the brands that Italy wants to export around the world. On top of it, as I mentioned early on, I was always involved with some family food making or processes. I learned the craft of how to make limoncello with my mom. My mom also owns the recipe made with orange bergamot citrus fruits, which is very characteristic of the southern region of Italy.

A: OK.

G: The specific orange citrus that is usually harvested across the Christmas period is winter citrus. I thought, “Why not bring bergamot into the cocktail world?” Anyhow, Italicus became a brand.

A: Interesting. Obviously with aperitivo culture growing around the rest of the world, coming out of Italy, people have started to get to know some of these liqueurs. One of the things I think was interesting about yours is that most of these liqueurs that especially American consumers are getting to know, and I would assume probably British as well, are some hue of red. You have Aperol and Campari which, as you said, are two of the most famous. There are not many that are or that Americans know of as being clear like yours as a yellowish hue. Did you think about, when you were creating the liquid, what color it should be? Were you concerned about Americans recognizing this as a liqueur that’s similar to those in terms of its use in an aperitivo? What went into your decision-making process as you were creating the liquid?

G: Yes, I did. Absolutely. We took into consideration all the different factors. First of all, the U.S. is the most important spirits market in the world. I always say to everybody that if you want to be a truly global brand, you must be relevant in the U.S. market.

A: Right.

G: We took the U.S. into consideration from day one. The other point is the U.S. is the most complex spirits market in the world because of the three-tier system that doesn’t exist anywhere else in the world. Therefore, with any small producers or craft products, they are always available in the U.S. or they are available everywhere in the U.S. Most American consumers are familiar with the big, more commercial brands which have the power and structure to actually get into the U.S. market. With Italicus, the aim from the beginning was to innovate and not duplicate. Making another red aperitif was more like duplicating something, not innovating. The red is duplicating the color of the liquid and the color of the bottle. There was actually a very specific study behind it. With Italicus, the main BVI color is inspired by the Amalfi Coast seaside coastline, so this blue, turquoise aquamarine color. When you look at the seaside and the water of the sea is green, not blue. Yet, when the sea is reflecting the color of the sky, it becomes blue. What does that mean? When the bottle is empty, it is green. When you put the liquid in, it’s yellow-ish. Together, they’re making this Italicus blue-aquamarine color.

A: Ah, very cool. In terms of the creation of the liquid, what went into that process? Obviously, I’ve never made an aperitivo before. I would assume a majority of the people listening have not. What was that process like and how long did it take you to create the liquid that we now have in the bottle?

G: The overall process to make the liquid took almost two years. Then, you need to allow the liquid to rest, to marry together in order to have a proper taste of what the liquid will be as a final result. It’s impossible to make a fresh liquid and then taste it immediately. You have to wait a week, two weeks, or three weeks before you taste it. You have to refrigerate it. Thus, it takes several steps to get there. First of all, I was lucky enough because as I mentioned, working for the Bacardi company with Martini & Rossi. In my experience there, in 10 years, we launched seven new products. I already had the experience of how to design, how to craft a liquid with the master distiller. In this case of what I did, I started from a historical recipe. The historic recipe is taken from a historic liqueur book called “Liquorista Pratico.” There are only two copies in the world, and I found one at the University of Turin.

A: Amazing.

G: The book calls for the recipe of Rosolio di Torino. It is believed that the first king of Italy was drinking these during his royal parties.

A: Oh, that’s cool.

G: The five key ingredients are five botanicals: Roman chamomile, yellow roses, gentian root, lemon balm, and bergamot. Out of those five botanicals, I went to the master distiller and I tried to make this liquid, and guess what? Undrinkable.

A: Undrinkable?

G: It was too sweet and had no balance. Of course, we do not drink and eat as people used to 100 years ago.

A: Right.

G: Back then, they would drink something much sweeter. It was much more unbalanced. It was less defined. I said that we needed to take those five ingredients and rebalance them to start with.

A: OK.

G: Most importantly, I wanted to make a liquid that bartenders and mixologists can work with — a liquid that the modern consumer can drink as a simple aperitif.

A: Right.

G: That’s how we brought my family experience with the orange bergamot fruit to create that overall taste profile that will be appealing for more consumers. On top of the five key botanicals from the historic Rosolio di Torino, we added the giant Cedro citrus from Sicily that are rich in lemon oil. Then, the top notes in the liquid are the orange bergamot juice from the Calabria region in Italy.

A: OK, now this is something that I’ve always wondered about. Since it is a new liquid and as you said, you wanted it to be used by bartenders and at-home mixologists, etc., how much were you not only tasting the liquid on its own but also mixing it as you were involved in creating it? Were you already thinking about, “Huh, this needs to make a good spritz? Maybe the liquid’s great on its own, but I need to taste it in a spritz but the spritz is not great so we need to keep changing the formula.” How much of that was happening?

G: A lot. You are absolutely correct. One of the main mistakes I see in a lot of brands and new products is they’re focusing only on the pure tasting of the liquid on its own. When you are using the cocktail or your goal is to be using the mixology world, you need to ensure that your liquid brings something extra into the cocktail’s final result.

A: Yeah.

G: I was focusing on exactly that. The reason why I used Cedro citrus and the bergamot fruit is that they both reach essential oils. Obviously, when you make your nice vodka-gin Martini at home and then you squeeze a little bit of lemon peel, lemon skin on top?

A: Yes.

G: You see all this beautiful lemon sitting on top of the dry Martini. It is exactly the same process but in a much bigger way. With those essential oils, if you’re going to add something sparkling with the CO2 — and it can be soda water, Prosecco, or Champagne because they’re light in weight — you have this explosion of flavor in your nose, even before you sip your glass. That was my ultimate goal. To make sure that the liquid that was crafted, would work in a cocktail and not on its own because I challenge everybody to have a single sip of bitter Campari or Aperol and say, “Oh, this is very nice.” They are not designed to be drunk on their own. They are designed to be mixed in cocktails, and with Italicus? It is the same role.

A: Right. It can be but the ultimate idea is in cocktails. Speaking of cocktails, I think what’s really interesting is you’ve developed some cocktails for Italicus that are very different from ones that I’ve seen before. However, the one I want to pick up on, which I’m sure you might guess, is the one you’re doing with IPA. Obviously, I don’t think a lot of people would think about adding an aperitivo to beer. Where did that idea come from, and why IPA?

A: Very good question. First of all, the IPA beer and Italicus is probably the best combination of my Italian roots and background with my current English lifestyle because, as you know, in England, there are a lot of pubs. On weekends, if you’re going to the pubs, you would enjoy brunch or a pint of beer in England. Being Italian, I love IPA because we love that bitter taste.

A: Yeah.

G: In Italy, we grew up with Negroni and Americanos, so we really love these bitter tastes. I’m a huge fan of IPA beers, and I’m there sitting in these beautiful pubs in the garden with my wife, and I have all the small tastes and bottles of Italicus because we were still developing the liquid. I have my half glass of IPA, and my wife says, “What are you doing there? This is the latest liquid so how about you taste it with your beer?” I said, “No, come on, I don’t want to waste this tasting with a beer.” After a few years with your wife, you know you can say no once, but the second time you need to follow her request and I say, “OK, fine, let’s taste it.” I’m putting this in a small miniature bottle of Italicus into the IPA. No ice, no mixing, and I gave it a sip. You know those types of cocktails where they completely blow your mind immediately? I gave it to my wife and she’s Russian. She tasted it and said, “Wow, this is amazing.”. From there, I took the cocktail to some friends who were proper mixologist bartenders. I said, “Do you think this cocktail would work? What can we do?” All of them loved the idea. They love to mix beer with cocktails. They’re both low-ABV. Then I said, “Why not? Let’s see if some restaurants and bars give a different spin to the beer offering or they can give a different spin to the aperitif offering.”

A: That’s super cool. Does it matter what type of IPA? In the U.S., we have the East Coast IPA. We have the West Coast IPA, which is much more bitter. What do you look for in the IPA when someone would use this for the cocktail?

G: Personally, I go for a more West Coast-style IPA because it has a more bitter aftertaste and a bit more hoppy so definitely that style. I wouldn’t name one brand or another because I think there is such a huge range out there.

A: Yes, totally.

G: Now, I would avoid a soft, milky, honey IPA. I will go for a more dry, sharp style of bitter IPA.

A: That makes a lot of sense. Obviously, as you’ve started the business and we’ve had Covid in the last year, what have you started doing to come into the American market? What have your strategies been in order to get the brand known stateside?

G: Well, in the first few weeks to the first month, there was a little bit of panic because Italicus is a very much on-premise brand. Overall, our initial strategy and our main focus were mainly being in New York, Florida, California, Texas, and Illinois.

A: OK.

G: We wanted to work with bartenders and mixologists. When we started to open some national accounts such as Total Wine and BevMo in the U.S., Covid kicked in and they shut it down, so it was a little bit of panicking at the beginning. It was not easy but we managed to shift most of our business to e-commerce. We started to sell more and more online, even in the U.S. in each of those states. Then, we expanded that in other states. The response has been very, very positive. I think we have been lucky that we’re going to close in the U.S. to about 34 percent up this year versus the previous year, despite a lot of on-premise stores closed and despite the restrictions.

A: Oh, wow.

G: The bottle design and the study of the brand really made a huge difference between online and e-commerce channels because that’s what consumers actually look for today. They’re looking for a brand that has a story and it means something to them.

A: Right.

G: Plus, it’s a beautiful bottle that they can have at home and they can keep it for other usages.

A: I’m glad you brought that up. I think the bottle is just very striking, and I can see it performing very well because of that. As you said, you have bottles that you keep in a cabinet, but there are bottles that people keep out in their homes, in the living room, on a bar cart, or in a special spot in the kitchen. This is one of those bottles that really looks very premium and beautiful especially against, as you were saying, the aperitivos that are much cheaper and aren’t the bottles that you would necessarily keep out.

G: I always like to describe Italicus as Italian art and poetry in a liquid form. The bottle had to reflect that vision. It is inspired by the Roman column, as you can see, the color is the seaside color of the Amalfi Coast with this aquamarine, turquoise blue. The cup is black and white with a marbled gold inspired by the Church of Santa Maria Novella in Florence, where Rosolio was served back in the Second Renaissance. Actually, the Italicus logo is inspired by the Vitruvian Man designed by Leonardo da Vinci in the shape and form of Bacchus, the god of wine.

A: Ah…

G: Instead of harvesting grapes, he starts harvesting bergamot. Every single detail, every single input into the bottle has a reason to be there.

A: That makes a lot of sense. Look, it’s just really well done. When I had the liquid, I was very impressed. It plays really well in so many different cocktails. It’s an easy sub-in for anything that would have citrus, but it gives it an elevated lift. I also think in a White Negroni, it’s really great. I think for people who haven’t had White Negronis before, it’s such a nice, welcome change. It’s just really delicious, and I’m very excited about this liquid. I think it’s going to do really well here in the United States, and congrats on all your success so far.

G: I think you should try it in an Italian Margarita as well with tequila and lime juice.

A: Interesting.

G: I usually make it at home, and it is a very interesting spin-off to the classic Margaritas. Try it with a blanco tequila, simple syrup, lime juice, Italicus, shake it up, and then serve it straight up. If you try that, you will see it works very, very well.

A: Interesting. For your White Negroni, you recommend olives as the garnish instead of citrus. Why?

G: Always olives, because being an aperitivo, for Italians, means that with your drink you always have something to eat. A little snack. If you go to a piazza, order a glass of wine, a glass of Prosecco, or a Negroni, you’re going to get your crisps, your olives, your pistachios, and some salty stuff. You’re always going to get something there. That is the aperitivo experience. It’s about one bite, one sip, one bite, one sip.

A: I love it.

G: That’s the joy of aperitivo from Italy.

A: I love it.

G: All our cocktails are designed with three olives. The spritz, the Negroni, they’re all served with the three olives. You have one olive with the first sip so you have a full taste of the cocktail. Then, you eat another olive, so you’re adding some saltiness to your taste profile. Then, you have another sip, another olive, and another sip. Then, the last olive, another sip, and the cocktail is gone. You now have the quintessential experience of aperitivo.

A: Amazing. Well, Giuseppe, thank you so much for joining me today. This is really great to learn more about Italicus, and I assume a lot of listeners will start seeing it in stores around them very soon. Again, I really want to thank you for your time, and congrats!

A: Thank you very much for this opportunity, Adam. I really hope I’m going to be able to visit America very soon so we can spread the Italicus love.

Thanks so much for listening to the “VinePair Podcast.” If you love this show as much as we love making it, then please give us a rating or review on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever it is you get your podcasts. It really helps everyone else discover the show.

Now for the credits, VinePair is produced and recorded in New York City and in Seattle, Wash., by myself and Zach Geballe, who does all the editing and loves to get the credit. Also, I would love to give a special shout-out to my VinePair co-founder, Josh Malin, for helping make all this possible and also to Keith Beavers, VinePair’s tastings director who is additionally a producer on the show. I also want to, of course, thank every other member of the VinePair team who is instrumental in all of the ideas that go into making the show every week. Thanks so much for listening, and we’ll see you again.

Ed. note: This episode has been edited for length and clarity.

The article Next Round: Italicus Is Reviving a Classic Italian Liqueur appeared first on VinePair.

source https://vinepair.com/articles/next-round-italian-liquer-giuseppe-gallo/

[johnboothus]

Next Round: Italicus Is Reviving a Classic Italian Liqueur

On this “Next Round” episode, host Adam Teeter chats with Giuseppe Gallo, the founder of Italicus Aperitivo. Gallo begins by detailing his background in the beverage alcohol space and how his upbringing inspired him to eventually explore Italian liqueur.

Gallo explains his efforts to resurrect the category of the historic Rosolio aperitivo, how Italicus’s bottle is inspired by the Amalfi Coast seaside, and why he concocted the recipe for the liqueur with cocktails in mind. Finally, Gallo shares why focusing on the U.S. market is imperative to any spirit brand’s success.

Tune in and visit https://rosolioitalicus.com/ to learn more about Italicus.

Listen Online

Listen on Apple Podcasts

Listen on Spotify

Or Check Out the Conversation Here

Adam Teeter: From VinePair’s New York City headquarters, I’m Adam Teeter, and this is a “VinePair Podcast Next Round” conversation. We bring you these conversations between our regular podcast episodes to give you a better picture of what’s going on in the alcohol beverage market. Today, I am really excited to be joined by Giuseppe Gallo, the CEO, owner, and founder of Italicus Aperitivo. Giuseppe, thank you so much for joining me.

Giuseppe Gallo: My pleasure, Adam. Hello, everyone.

A: Giuseppe, first of all, where do we find you today?

G: Today I’m in my lovely office in London, England but when possible, I’m trying to be at home in Italy.

A: Thank you again for joining us. I’d love it if you could start the conversation by telling us a little bit about Italicus and your background.

G: Yes, of course. I have always been working, breathing, and living in the hospitality industry. I’m originally from the beautiful Amalfi Coast, the south side of Salerno, to be more precise. I studied hospitality. My family has always been involved with gastronomy work. My mom used to make homemade limoncello when I was a kid, and I was sitting next to her and helping her.

A: Oh, wow.

G: In my 20s, I finished school and I started to travel across northern Italy and then different countries in Europe. I’ve been to the U.S. as well and studied at the Montclair University of Hospitality Management. Then, I landed in London, U.K. in 2005, and 16 years later, I have a wife, two kids, and a mortgage. I don’t think I’m going to move out of the U.K. soon. From a very humble background working as a bartender, I became manager of the Sanderson Hotel, which is part of the Morgans Hotel Group in London. Then, I joined Bacardi Global Brands as a Martini Rossi Global Brand Ambassador for almost 10 years. In 2015, I started my own consulting company called ItalSpirits. Then, in 2016, I decided to launch Italicus Rosolio di Bergamotto, the quintessential Italian apèritif.

A: Where did the idea come from to launch Italicus?

G: It was a combination of factors. The first one was that I identified that in the alcohol industry, mainly in Italy, there was no super-premium aperitif.

A: Interesting.

G: I always look at what France did, which was to establish a regulated category like Cognac, Armagnac, or Champagne and focus very much on building the category and value into it. Looking at the Italian perspective, if you think about the two top aperitif brands well known across the world, they both range between $10 and $15 per bottle.

A: Yeah.

G: Then I said, “Why? We have so much more to offer from Italy.” First of all, we have probably the most powerful brand that any other country has, which is Made in Italy.

A: Yes, I agree.

G: When I think about Italy, I think about Ferrari, Ducati, Armani, Dolce & Gabbana. Those are the brands that Italy wants to export around the world. On top of it, as I mentioned early on, I was always involved with some family food making or processes. I learned the craft of how to make limoncello with my mom. My mom also owns the recipe made with orange bergamot citrus fruits, which is very characteristic of the southern region of Italy.

A: OK.

G: The specific orange citrus that is usually harvested across the Christmas period is winter citrus. I thought, “Why not bring bergamot into the cocktail world?” Anyhow, Italicus became a brand.

A: Interesting. Obviously with aperitivo culture growing around the rest of the world, coming out of Italy, people have started to get to know some of these liqueurs. One of the things I think was interesting about yours is that most of these liqueurs that especially American consumers are getting to know, and I would assume probably British as well, are some hue of red. You have Aperol and Campari which, as you said, are two of the most famous. There are not many that are or that Americans know of as being clear like yours as a yellowish hue. Did you think about, when you were creating the liquid, what color it should be? Were you concerned about Americans recognizing this as a liqueur that’s similar to those in terms of its use in an aperitivo? What went into your decision-making process as you were creating the liquid?

G: Yes, I did. Absolutely. We took into consideration all the different factors. First of all, the U.S. is the most important spirits market in the world. I always say to everybody that if you want to be a truly global brand, you must be relevant in the U.S. market.

A: Right.

G: We took the U.S. into consideration from day one. The other point is the U.S. is the most complex spirits market in the world because of the three-tier system that doesn’t exist anywhere else in the world. Therefore, with any small producers or craft products, they are always available in the U.S. or they are available everywhere in the U.S. Most American consumers are familiar with the big, more commercial brands which have the power and structure to actually get into the U.S. market. With Italicus, the aim from the beginning was to innovate and not duplicate. Making another red aperitif was more like duplicating something, not innovating. The red is duplicating the color of the liquid and the color of the bottle. There was actually a very specific study behind it. With Italicus, the main BVI color is inspired by the Amalfi Coast seaside coastline, so this blue, turquoise aquamarine color. When you look at the seaside and the water of the sea is green, not blue. Yet, when the sea is reflecting the color of the sky, it becomes blue. What does that mean? When the bottle is empty, it is green. When you put the liquid in, it’s yellow-ish. Together, they’re making this Italicus blue-aquamarine color.

A: Ah, very cool. In terms of the creation of the liquid, what went into that process? Obviously, I’ve never made an aperitivo before. I would assume a majority of the people listening have not. What was that process like and how long did it take you to create the liquid that we now have in the bottle?

G: The overall process to make the liquid took almost two years. Then, you need to allow the liquid to rest, to marry together in order to have a proper taste of what the liquid will be as a final result. It’s impossible to make a fresh liquid and then taste it immediately. You have to wait a week, two weeks, or three weeks before you taste it. You have to refrigerate it. Thus, it takes several steps to get there. First of all, I was lucky enough because as I mentioned, working for the Bacardi company with Martini & Rossi. In my experience there, in 10 years, we launched seven new products. I already had the experience of how to design, how to craft a liquid with the master distiller. In this case of what I did, I started from a historical recipe. The historic recipe is taken from a historic liqueur book called “Liquorista Pratico.” There are only two copies in the world, and I found one at the University of Turin.

A: Amazing.

G: The book calls for the recipe of Rosolio di Torino. It is believed that the first king of Italy was drinking these during his royal parties.

A: Oh, that’s cool.

G: The five key ingredients are five botanicals: Roman chamomile, yellow roses, gentian root, lemon balm, and bergamot. Out of those five botanicals, I went to the master distiller and I tried to make this liquid, and guess what? Undrinkable.

A: Undrinkable?

G: It was too sweet and had no balance. Of course, we do not drink and eat as people used to 100 years ago.

A: Right.

G: Back then, they would drink something much sweeter. It was much more unbalanced. It was less defined. I said that we needed to take those five ingredients and rebalance them to start with.

A: OK.

G: Most importantly, I wanted to make a liquid that bartenders and mixologists can work with — a liquid that the modern consumer can drink as a simple aperitif.

A: Right.

G: That’s how we brought my family experience with the orange bergamot fruit to create that overall taste profile that will be appealing for more consumers. On top of the five key botanicals from the historic Rosolio di Torino, we added the giant Cedro citrus from Sicily that are rich in lemon oil. Then, the top notes in the liquid are the orange bergamot juice from the Calabria region in Italy.

A: OK, now this is something that I’ve always wondered about. Since it is a new liquid and as you said, you wanted it to be used by bartenders and at-home mixologists, etc., how much were you not only tasting the liquid on its own but also mixing it as you were involved in creating it? Were you already thinking about, “Huh, this needs to make a good spritz? Maybe the liquid’s great on its own, but I need to taste it in a spritz but the spritz is not great so we need to keep changing the formula.” How much of that was happening?

G: A lot. You are absolutely correct. One of the main mistakes I see in a lot of brands and new products is they’re focusing only on the pure tasting of the liquid on its own. When you are using the cocktail or your goal is to be using the mixology world, you need to ensure that your liquid brings something extra into the cocktail’s final result.

A: Yeah.

G: I was focusing on exactly that. The reason why I used Cedro citrus and the bergamot fruit is that they both reach essential oils. Obviously, when you make your nice vodka-gin Martini at home and then you squeeze a little bit of lemon peel, lemon skin on top?

A: Yes.

G: You see all this beautiful lemon sitting on top of the dry Martini. It is exactly the same process but in a much bigger way. With those essential oils, if you’re going to add something sparkling with the CO2 — and it can be soda water, Prosecco, or Champagne because they’re light in weight — you have this explosion of flavor in your nose, even before you sip your glass. That was my ultimate goal. To make sure that the liquid that was crafted, would work in a cocktail and not on its own because I challenge everybody to have a single sip of bitter Campari or Aperol and say, “Oh, this is very nice.” They are not designed to be drunk on their own. They are designed to be mixed in cocktails, and with Italicus? It is the same role.

A: Right. It can be but the ultimate idea is in cocktails. Speaking of cocktails, I think what’s really interesting is you’ve developed some cocktails for Italicus that are very different from ones that I’ve seen before. However, the one I want to pick up on, which I’m sure you might guess, is the one you’re doing with IPA. Obviously, I don’t think a lot of people would think about adding an aperitivo to beer. Where did that idea come from, and why IPA?

A: Very good question. First of all, the IPA beer and Italicus is probably the best combination of my Italian roots and background with my current English lifestyle because, as you know, in England, there are a lot of pubs. On weekends, if you’re going to the pubs, you would enjoy brunch or a pint of beer in England. Being Italian, I love IPA because we love that bitter taste.

A: Yeah.

G: In Italy, we grew up with Negroni and Americanos, so we really love these bitter tastes. I’m a huge fan of IPA beers, and I’m there sitting in these beautiful pubs in the garden with my wife, and I have all the small tastes and bottles of Italicus because we were still developing the liquid. I have my half glass of IPA, and my wife says, “What are you doing there? This is the latest liquid so how about you taste it with your beer?” I said, “No, come on, I don’t want to waste this tasting with a beer.” After a few years with your wife, you know you can say no once, but the second time you need to follow her request and I say, “OK, fine, let’s taste it.” I’m putting this in a small miniature bottle of Italicus into the IPA. No ice, no mixing, and I gave it a sip. You know those types of cocktails where they completely blow your mind immediately? I gave it to my wife and she’s Russian. She tasted it and said, “Wow, this is amazing.”. From there, I took the cocktail to some friends who were proper mixologist bartenders. I said, “Do you think this cocktail would work? What can we do?” All of them loved the idea. They love to mix beer with cocktails. They’re both low-ABV. Then I said, “Why not? Let’s see if some restaurants and bars give a different spin to the beer offering or they can give a different spin to the aperitif offering.”

A: That’s super cool. Does it matter what type of IPA? In the U.S., we have the East Coast IPA. We have the West Coast IPA, which is much more bitter. What do you look for in the IPA when someone would use this for the cocktail?

G: Personally, I go for a more West Coast-style IPA because it has a more bitter aftertaste and a bit more hoppy so definitely that style. I wouldn’t name one brand or another because I think there is such a huge range out there.

A: Yes, totally.

G: Now, I would avoid a soft, milky, honey IPA. I will go for a more dry, sharp style of bitter IPA.

A: That makes a lot of sense. Obviously, as you’ve started the business and we’ve had Covid in the last year, what have you started doing to come into the American market? What have your strategies been in order to get the brand known stateside?

G: Well, in the first few weeks to the first month, there was a little bit of panic because Italicus is a very much on-premise brand. Overall, our initial strategy and our main focus were mainly being in New York, Florida, California, Texas, and Illinois.

A: OK.

G: We wanted to work with bartenders and mixologists. When we started to open some national accounts such as Total Wine and BevMo in the U.S., Covid kicked in and they shut it down, so it was a little bit of panicking at the beginning. It was not easy but we managed to shift most of our business to e-commerce. We started to sell more and more online, even in the U.S. in each of those states. Then, we expanded that in other states. The response has been very, very positive. I think we have been lucky that we’re going to close in the U.S. to about 34 percent up this year versus the previous year, despite a lot of on-premise stores closed and despite the restrictions.

A: Oh, wow.

G: The bottle design and the study of the brand really made a huge difference between online and e-commerce channels because that’s what consumers actually look for today. They’re looking for a brand that has a story and it means something to them.

A: Right.

G: Plus, it’s a beautiful bottle that they can have at home and they can keep it for other usages.

A: I’m glad you brought that up. I think the bottle is just very striking, and I can see it performing very well because of that. As you said, you have bottles that you keep in a cabinet, but there are bottles that people keep out in their homes, in the living room, on a bar cart, or in a special spot in the kitchen. This is one of those bottles that really looks very premium and beautiful especially against, as you were saying, the aperitivos that are much cheaper and aren’t the bottles that you would necessarily keep out.

G: I always like to describe Italicus as Italian art and poetry in a liquid form. The bottle had to reflect that vision. It is inspired by the Roman column, as you can see, the color is the seaside color of the Amalfi Coast with this aquamarine, turquoise blue. The cup is black and white with a marbled gold inspired by the Church of Santa Maria Novella in Florence, where Rosolio was served back in the Second Renaissance. Actually, the Italicus logo is inspired by the Vitruvian Man designed by Leonardo da Vinci in the shape and form of Bacchus, the god of wine.

A: Ah…

G: Instead of harvesting grapes, he starts harvesting bergamot. Every single detail, every single input into the bottle has a reason to be there.

A: That makes a lot of sense. Look, it’s just really well done. When I had the liquid, I was very impressed. It plays really well in so many different cocktails. It’s an easy sub-in for anything that would have citrus, but it gives it an elevated lift. I also think in a White Negroni, it’s really great. I think for people who haven’t had White Negronis before, it’s such a nice, welcome change. It’s just really delicious, and I’m very excited about this liquid. I think it’s going to do really well here in the United States, and congrats on all your success so far.

G: I think you should try it in an Italian Margarita as well with tequila and lime juice.

A: Interesting.

G: I usually make it at home, and it is a very interesting spin-off to the classic Margaritas. Try it with a blanco tequila, simple syrup, lime juice, Italicus, shake it up, and then serve it straight up. If you try that, you will see it works very, very well.

A: Interesting. For your White Negroni, you recommend olives as the garnish instead of citrus. Why?

G: Always olives, because being an aperitivo, for Italians, means that with your drink you always have something to eat. A little snack. If you go to a piazza, order a glass of wine, a glass of Prosecco, or a Negroni, you’re going to get your crisps, your olives, your pistachios, and some salty stuff. You’re always going to get something there. That is the aperitivo experience. It’s about one bite, one sip, one bite, one sip.

A: I love it.

G: That’s the joy of aperitivo from Italy.

A: I love it.

G: All our cocktails are designed with three olives. The spritz, the Negroni, they’re all served with the three olives. You have one olive with the first sip so you have a full taste of the cocktail. Then, you eat another olive, so you’re adding some saltiness to your taste profile. Then, you have another sip, another olive, and another sip. Then, the last olive, another sip, and the cocktail is gone. You now have the quintessential experience of aperitivo.

A: Amazing. Well, Giuseppe, thank you so much for joining me today. This is really great to learn more about Italicus, and I assume a lot of listeners will start seeing it in stores around them very soon. Again, I really want to thank you for your time, and congrats!

A: Thank you very much for this opportunity, Adam. I really hope I’m going to be able to visit America very soon so we can spread the Italicus love.

Thanks so much for listening to the “VinePair Podcast.” If you love this show as much as we love making it, then please give us a rating or review on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, or wherever it is you get your podcasts. It really helps everyone else discover the show.

Now for the credits, VinePair is produced and recorded in New York City and in Seattle, Wash., by myself and Zach Geballe, who does all the editing and loves to get the credit. Also, I would love to give a special shout-out to my VinePair co-founder, Josh Malin, for helping make all this possible and also to Keith Beavers, VinePair’s tastings director who is additionally a producer on the show. I also want to, of course, thank every other member of the VinePair team who is instrumental in all of the ideas that go into making the show every week. Thanks so much for listening, and we’ll see you again.

Ed. note: This episode has been edited for length and clarity.

The article Next Round: Italicus Is Reviving a Classic Italian Liqueur appeared first on VinePair.

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[wristwatchjournal]

Hands-On Debut: Parmigiani Tonda GT Steel Watch With Integrated Bracelet

Entirely new for 2020 is the Parmigiani Tonda GT and Tondagraph GT, two of the brand’s most casual and everyday wearable pieces to date. These leisure watches (a term I find increasingly appropriate) also debut a new integrated bracelet by Parmigiani, as well as a rubber strap option. I got to go hands-on with the black dial Tonda GT in steel here, but it is also available in gold with a blue dial. There are two inaugural models in the collection, the time and date Tonda GT and the steel Tondagraph GT with annual calendar and chronograph. The Tonda GT in steel will be limited to 250 pieces, the Tonda GT in gold will be limited to 150 pieces, and the Tondagraph GT will only be available in steel and limited to 200 pieces.

I will have a longer hands-on article about the Tondagraph GT very soon this week, so this article is going to focus on the Tonda GT. Briefly, the Tondagraph GT offers an impressive annual calendar/chronograph complication housed in a new 42mm-wide/13.7mm-thick case with a 100M water resistance. The orange touches on the Tondagraph GT seem to throw a welcome splash of color to the dial, which has the same guilloché “clou triangulaire” pattern. What’s most intriguing about the Tondagraph GT is the $19,500 price for an annual calendar/chronograph, and I’ll give my full hands-on impressions of it very soon. (Price is $19,500 on the integrated bracelet, rubber strap is $18,500).

So far, the sportiest Parmigiani has really gotten is the Tonda Metrographe, which is a piece I reviewed a few years back. The Tonda GT takes things further, introducing an all-new integrated bracelet (though this is not their first) and case that was designed with the help of Dino Modolo, who has previously worked with Bedat & Co., Corum, and others.

The Tonda GT case is inspired by the Tonda Chronor, though there are adjustments to the lugs, which retain that teardrop shape while allowing for the new integrated bracelet. First off, it’s so comfortable on the wrist, with the links cascading naturally from Michel Parmigiani’s recognizable teardrop lugs. The center links alternate between larger polished and smaller brushed segments, while the end-links are impressively finished with both brushing and polishing. The double-folding clasp is nice and secure, rounding out a very well done bracelet that shines as a piece of “functional jewelry” in the words of aBlogtoWatch founder Ariel Adams.

While pointing out steel luxury sports watches with integrated bracelets has become a bit of a tired trope, at this point, it should be noted that this isn’t Parmigiani’s first. The aforementioned Metrographe had an integrated steel and titanium bracelet, though the flair of its “lobster” styling may have been a bit too much for some. The Nautilus and Royal Oak bracelets are admittedly impressive and, perhaps more importantly, influential. That said, having worn and spent time with pieces like the A. Lange & Söhne Odysseus, H. Moser & Cie Streamliner, and this Parmigiani Tonda GT, it’s clear that the big names have nothing close to a monopoly on top-tier bracelets.

Still, one does not simply integrate a bracelet and deem it a success. A truly successful bracelet must exceed the sum of individual parts and enhance the watch as a whole. Parmigiani largely succeeds here in creating a bracelet with a seamless sense of continuity with the case, such that it verges on symbiosis. Yes, it’s a bit elaborate, but this is Parmigiani we are talking about. They are not interested in the minimalist route, and the Tonda GT bracelet is all Parmigiani. What would I change? Honestly, not a lot. As nice as the double-folding clasp is, I do think Lange’s Odysseus picked relatively low-hanging fruit by offering a precision adjustment mechanism that allows for up to 7mm of size adjustment without having to take the watch off the wrist. I’d love to see some version of this function in future bracelets from Parmigiani.

The Parmigiani Tonda GT is also available on a rubber bracelet, which is very supple and super-comfortable. It has thoughtful design touches that add to the cohesion of the entire piece, like stripes that track from the lugs and a guilloché pattern that matches the dial of the watch. The rubber strap is a nice option, though it’s hard to recommend it in comparison to the bracelet. Personally, I think Parmigiani should do what some brands like Vacheron Constantin does with the Overseas and simply provide the bracelet and straps with every watch rather than having an option to choose.

 The Tonda GT case measures 42mm-wide, 11.2mm-thick, with a lug-to-lug height of 46.5mm. Importantly, the Tonda GT and Tondagraph GT are water-resistant to 100M, which is an important metric for the whole identity of this piece as a sportier Parmigiani. I’d classify the Tonda GT as more of a leisure watch than a sports watch, but no matter the nomenclature I am glad Parmigiani paid attention to water resistance, as I recall the Metrographe had something like 30M.

The stepped bezel is interesting, as it is fluted on the outer ring and then is smooth as it slopes upward towards the crystal. The fluting is a nod to Parmigiani’s Toric collection, which boasts far more elaborately decorative knurling on the bezels, which is both too costly for a watch at the price point of the Tonda GT as well as too formal.

The fluted bezel and teardrop lugs firmly plant the Tonda GT’s feet in the ground as a Parmigiani watch, love it or leave it. These decorative and stylized facets of the case wouldn’t be at home in most ordinary sports watches, but I think luxury leisure watches are only made better with flair and identity (again, see the Odysseus).

The steel Tonda GT has a black dial while the gold models are done in blue with matching 18k gold hands/indices, however, all the dials have a guilloché “clou triangulaire” pattern. There is the big-date indicator at 12 o’clock and a double-track running seconds sub-dial at 6 o’clock, both of which are Parmigiani design touches directly carried over from the Tonda Chronor. The skeletonized Delta-shaped hands are quite polished but are legible enough (though another application of AR coating would not hurt here). There is, however, lume on the very tip of the hour and minutes hands, as well as on the rhodium-plated hour indices.

The Tonda GT is outfitted with the PF044 movement, a new automatic caliber made of 274 components and 33 jewels. The movement operates at 28,800 vph and has a 45-hour power reserve. There are Geneva stripes throughout the movement, but the 22k-gold rotor is where the eye is drawn when looking at the PF044. It’s a really well-finished and impressive-looking movement, all things considered. Of course, it’s not what Parmigiani offers at the higher end of the spectrum, but it is still very nice for this price point.

The Tonda GT is a fun new offering from Parmigiani that still retains Michel Parmigiani’s design DNA while rethinking some facets in order to create a truly wearable leisure watch. It’s got flair but isn’t formal or dressy, and the water resistance will go a long way for many buyers. The Parmigiani Tonda GT in steel seen here is limited to 250 pieces and priced at $13,500 on rubber strap and $14,500 on steel bracelet. The Tonda GT in gold is limited to 150 pieces and priced at $24,900 on rubber strap and $49,500 on gold bracelet. You can learn more about the Tonda GT here at parmigianiamericas.com.

The post Hands-On Debut: Parmigiani Tonda GT Steel Watch With Integrated Bracelet appeared first on Wristwatch Journal.

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