Spice Up Your Senses: A Review of Marolo’s Powerful Grappa di Barolo
And finally, we tasted Marolo’s Grappa di Barolo. It looks like a tongue twister, but in reality it is a distillate of great power and sumptuousness.
The Piedmontese distillation art has been brought to its nth degree; in fact, we are dealing with a full, warm, very rich, and fragrant grappa, which starts from a fruity base and then turns spicy thanks to an aging in barrique.
And the pomace is obviously first choice; Nebbiolo is used to produce Barolo, so grapes that reach perfect ripeness with advanced ripening are rich in tannins and aromas and have lots of extract. Everything is distilled in large copper stills; heads and tails are removed; the product is lengthened with pure water to give it a more human grade, but it still hits hard. In fact, we are around 50 degrees, which is not bad.
But after all, with such an intense, structured, and fragrant grappa, the alcohol serves to support the whole aromatic system; it gives it momentum and depth; do not expect a lackluster grappa.
This is followed by a 4-year refinement in French oak barriques, where the grappa takes on flavors, tannins, and a splendid orange color from the wood.
The bouquet
A very spicy nose, alluring with vanilla, cinnamon, tobacco, and a thousand other tickling spices Then comes the fruit, which is pulpy, plums and cherries, pungent ethereal tones, pepper, and then a very distant memory of flowers. It’s a grappa that wants to amaze; it starts strong and then opens up; it’s not one of the subtle and delicate ones; the aging in barrels has deeply marked it in its depths. All in all, it is not multifaceted, but it is very inviting.
The taste
When tasted, it is very full, with warmth and alcohol to sell. It shows its muscles; it is not subtle, but it is never rude. On the palate, there are flavors of spice and mint, more vanilla and nuts, and lots of red fruit and blueberries. The balance is quite good in the sense that all the parts are in harmony with each other, although the degrees are felt.
It’s not a fine grappa, and it doesn’t want to be; on the contrary, it focuses entirely on the consistency and the raw material and adds a tasty smokiness. As a barricaded grappa, it is a great classic, with nothing to complain about.
The price
30 euros, an acceptable price for a well-made grappa.
What cocktails are there to make with Barolo Marolo grappa?
Ciuco cocktail.
Pairings
Because of its strong spiciness, it is ideal for chocolate and cocoa desserts as well as smoked dishes: chocolate cupcakes, cheesecakes, ciambella, Tiramisù and chocolate salami.