Amaro alle Erbe Alpine 'Dente di Leone' La Valdotaine
La Valdotaine's Amaro alle Erbe Alpine 'Dente di Leone' is a fascinating creation that combines tradition and legend. This Alpine elixir is made with prized mountain dandelion, also called ‘Lion’s Tooth' in Italy, that appears in the myth of Theseus against the Minotaur. It is produced by infusing various alpine herbs in alcohol, to which aromatic muscovado sugar is then added. The nose is dominated by herbaceous hints as well as liquorice sensations derived from the sugar. The palate is harmonious, with a balance between bitter and sweet
The Alpine Herb Liqueur ‘Dente di Leone’ from the La Valdotaine distillery is characterized as a mountain liqueur with an evocative floral and herbal character that recalls the scents of the pastures of the Valle d'Aosta. The dandelion, more commonly known as tarassaco, is a plant used in herbal medicine since ancient times that grows in plains, hills, and mountains up to an altitude of 2,000 meters above sea level. However, herbalists have always preferred the mountain tarassaco, as it is richer in active ingredients. Additionally, this plant has often been attributed with magical powers, as evidenced by the myth of Theseus, who for 30 days ate only dandelion flowers that gave him the strength to defeat the Minotaur. The name 'dente di leone' refers to the jagged shape of the leaves.
The production of the Alpine Herb Liqueur La Valdotaine ‘Dente di Leone’ begins with the selection of botanicals, including dandelion flowers, sweet yarrow, Roman wormwood, blessed thistle, gentian root, and elderflowers. All these ingredients are infused in an alcohol solution, subsequently added with sugar and raw muscovado cane sugar and then diluted with pure water to an alcohol content of about 33%.
The ‘Dente di Leone’ Alpine Herb Liqueur from La Valdotaine has a color ranging from amber to dark mahogany. The aromatic profile offers green hints of aromatic and floral herbs with yellow flowers, combined with balsamic notes that refer to the botanicals used in the infusion process. On the palate, it is balanced and fragrant, with a progression in equilibrium between pleasant sweetness and a bitter aftertaste that accompanies a finish of excellent persistence!