Special blend: the best grappa cocktail recipes from Italian experts Nonino

When we enlisted Dutch design duo Scholten & Baijings to create a portable metal drinking flask inspired by the single-grape grappa of Nonino for Handmade, we never imagined it would be such a spirit lifting venture. To share our glee, here are a number of delicious grappa-based cocktails, expertly devised by the family-run distillers and crafted especially for you… 

See more carefully crafted commissions from Handmade 2015 here

Nonino Tonic, created by the Nonino family

Ingredients
3 cl Grappa Nonino 41°
8 cl tonic water
Lemon and ice

Preparation
Put 5/6 ice cubes in a low tumbler, add the Grappa Nonino, the tonic water, a squeeze of lemon juice and stir. Garnish with a slice of lemon.

Nonino Ginger, concocted by Dmitry Ananiev of Rosinter Restaurants in Moscow

Ingredients
4 cl Grappa Nonino Monovitigno® Chardonnay Barriques
1.5 cl ginger juice
1 cl pure sugar syrup
3 cl pear juice
3 cl white grape juice
Sprite or sparkling wine (or Prosecco)

Preparation
Fill 1/3 of the shaker with ice and add all the ingredients. Close the shaker and shake energetically.
Pour into a pre-cooled glass, add a lot of ice and finally pour the drink over the sparkling wine or the Prosecco. Decorate with candied ginger.

Nonino Sisters, by local barman Antonio Germani 

Ingredients
4 cl Grappa Nonino Monovitigno® Moscato
3 cl sour apple liqueur
1/2 a lime / pieces of fresh ginger
2 tsp cane sugar

Preparation
Muddle some pieces of fresh ginger and lime with the cane sugar directly in a low tumbler.
Add cracked ice, the sour apple liqueur and Grappa Nonino Monovitigno® Moscato. 
Decorate with a small bunch of grapes, soaked in Grappa Nonino Monovitigno® Moscato and sprinkle sugar.

Nonino Sweet Sensation, by mixologist Daniele Dalla Pola of Bologna's Nu Lounge Bar 

Ingredients
4 cl Grappa Nonino Monovitigni® Cuvée Vintage Dated
1 cl pomegranate syrup 
1 cl centrifuged ginger
2 cl pomegranate juice

Preparation
Put the pomegranate syrup, the centrifuged ginger and the pomegranate juice into a mixing glass full of ice, add the Grappa Nonino Monovitigni® Cuvée Vintage Dated. Mix quickly.
Pour into a mini tumbler. Serve with an ice ball and a lemon twist.

Supernova, by Daniele Dalla Pola

Ingredients
4 cl Grappa Nonino Monovitigno® Prosecco Bianco
1 cl Drambuie liqueur
2 cl Domaine de Canton liqueur
1 cl honey diluted with water [1:2]
1 cl fresh lime juice
1 dash of almond extract
2 drops of Bob’s Ginger Bitters

Preparation
Shake all the ingredients and double strain. Serve in a cocktail glass and garnish with caramelized ginger and a lime peel.
Best served at 10°C or in a chilled glass.

Dreaming Nonino, by local mixologist Davide Girardi

Ingredients
3.5 cl Grappa Nonino Monovitigno® Merlot
2 cl Passoã
1.5 cl Giffard Banana

Preparation
Shake the ingredients and serve in a cocktail glass, garnished with grapes.