Italian-Style Herbal Liqueur Made with Estate Wine Grapes and Premium Botanicals
December 7th – Paso Robles, CA—Willow Creek Distillery today released its first-ever Amaro, an Italian-style liqueur distilled from estate wine grapes and infused with premium botanicals including coriander, allspice, rhubarb, wormwood and gentian.
Prized for its distinctive combination of sweet and bitter sensations, Amaro is an herbalized spirit that gained widespread popularity in 19th century Italy. Willow Creek Amaro can be savored over ice or used as a base for a variety of cocktails such as Old Fashioneds and Black Manhattans. Willow Creek Amaro is available at the distillery and tasting room in westside Paso Robles, and online at WillowCreekDistillery.com.
“We set out to put our own stamp on the style, because no two Amaros are alike,” said Kevin Coulton, Willow Creek’s head distiller. “We are very pleased with the results—it’s unique, flavorful and easy to enjoy.”
The journey of Willow Creek Amaro began when Coulton distilled a neutral brandy spirit from wine grapes grown at Opolo Vineyards, the distillery’s sister winery in the Willow Creek District of Paso Robles. This spirit was aged for six months on new medium-toast French oak, imparting natural complexity with a clean oak presence. Finally, it was infused with the various botanicals to reach a peak balance of flavor, sweetness and bitterness. A touch of brown sugar was included to round out the mouthfeel.
The Willow Creek Amaro shows notes of gentian, coriander, wormwood and nutmeg followed by toasted oak, brown sugar, subtle spice and a feathered bitter finish. A total of just 125 cases was produced for this first run, in line with Willow Creek’s emphasis on handcrafted, small-batch spirits. A new second batch of Amaro is in the works.
An Eclectic Family of Spirits
Willow Creek features one of the most eclectic spirits portfolios of any distillery in California, including whiskeys, brandies, fruit liqueurs, grappas and other spirits.
The tasting room is located at the Opolo Vineyard estate. Here, guests are treated to an educational tasting experience amid the backdrop of the working distillery.
“This new Amaro is the latest example of how we strive to master a wide variety of spirits,” Coulton said. “We not only want to offer your favorite type of spirit—we want to help you discover new favorites, as well.”
Willow Creek Distillery specializes in a diverse range of small-batch, limited-release spirits that are available online and at the distillery tasting room in westside Paso Robles. Willow Creek was created in 2013 by Opolo Vineyards, an iconic family-owned Paso Robles winery. Willow Creek’s spirits are made using the finest barrels, botanicals and locally sourced ingredients, some of which are grown in the estate vineyard and orchard. More at WillowCreekDistillery.com
