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

Grappa-based cocktails

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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.

Rosa Bertoli was born in Udine, Italy, and now lives in London. Since 2014, she has been the Design Editor of Wallpaper*, where she oversees design content for the print and online editions, as well as special editorial projects. Through her role at Wallpaper*, she has written extensively about all areas of design. Rosa has been speaker and moderator for various design talks and conferences including London Craft Week, Maison & Objet, The Italian Cultural Institute (London), Clippings, Zaha Hadid Design, Kartell and Frieze Art Fair. Rosa has been on judging panels for the Chart Architecture Award, the Dutch Design Awards and the DesignGuild Marks. She has written for numerous English and Italian language publications, and worked as a content and communication consultant for fashion and design brands.