Adelaide limoncello and gin distillery, Ambra Spirits, hosted a tour and tasting of its finest Italian-inspired spirits for some 60 APPMA members on 15 October, with insights into the process and packaging supplied by head distiller Nathan Iovino.
The group was split into two to fit into the small distillery, where they were shown the process for small batch crafting for limoncello (distilled inside Schutz IBCs) and using locally grown citrus from the Riverina. The company handles a large quantity of lemons, with 350-700 kilos delivered weekly by two suppliers. After extracting the lemon zest for its spirits, Ambra ensures that every part of the lemon is put to good use. The leftover lemons are used by the restaurant, and shared with the kitchens of local restaurants across Adelaide, reducing waste and supporting the community.
The distinctively shaped Limoncello bottles are imported from Italy, and hand filled and labelled on a semi-automatic labeller on site. Previously this was done by hand, and Iovino says automating the process was a real game changer for the business.
Ambra Limoncello entered the Australian market in 1998, creating the category in this market for the first time. Twenty-five years on, Ambra is producing five variants -- Limoncello, Orange, Cappuccino, Limoncello Cream, and Blood Orange Apperitif -- and all were tasted and enjoyed by the group.
The Ambra gin is distilled in a copper still, with four variants produced -- Citrus, Watermelon & Mint, Blood Orange and Navy. Again, a tasting flight was sampled and enjoyed.
The facility also has a wet lab for developing gin botanicals and creating single distillates in a mini still. The process involves blending these distillates to determine the right amount for each litre of ethanol. Iovono explained that the lab is set up as an experimental space where people can try different gin recipes.
Ambra has won many awards for its spirits, which came as no surprise to the APPMA members present, who found the evening an enjoyable experience and a good opportunity to network with like-minded professionals.
