This Italian Rose Petal Liqueur is Our New Favorite Pick-Me-Up Sipper

Everyday Italian families across the country persisted in making rosolio, however, as a celebratory sipper served to guests and visitors at home. Late last year, Amalfi Coast-born bartender Giuseppe Gallo revived the centuries-old recipe by fusing the traditional rose petals with bergamot, the distinctive southern Italian citrus native to the UNESCO-protected region of Calabria. His inspiration? Memories of helping his family pick and peel the oranges right around Christmastime.

The resulting bottling, Italicus, is a blend of the fruits—whose dried peels are extracted through the traditional cold-pressing process—along with cintron, chamomile, lavender, gentian and yellow roses. Harmonizing the punchy brightness of a vermouth aperitivo with the bitter herbaceous of an amaro digestivo, it's become one of the favorites for sipping while working in the kitchen on holiday prep—strong enough to give you a buzz but subtle enough to keep you standing.

Whether you're the one just picking up refreshments or the unsung hero slaving over Christmas dinner, Italicus is our new favorite all-purpose bottle for both passing around the kitchen during holiday meal prep and donning the table after the feast.