Distilleria Amato: a fairy tale born in 1881 at the foot of Mount Vesuvius

Once upon a time…

It may sound like the beginning of a fairy tale, but what we want to tell today is the authentic, passionate story of the Amato family. It all began in 1881, when Gaetano Amato, founder of the distillery, embarked on an extraordinary adventure in the Vesuvian area — homeland of prized grape varieties and fruits nourished by the strength of a volcanic soil unique in the world.

The true turning point — the bridge between past and present — came in 1997. That was the year a century‑old copper still from the early 1900s, silent for almost 80 years, was brought back to life. A magical moment that revived the noble and ingenious art of distillation, passed down with dedication from father to son.

Over the years, Giuseppe Amato, now the heart and head of the company, enriched this ancient knowledge. After earning a Master’s degree in Grappa Sciences and qualifying as a Master Distiller, he succeeded in combining the family heritage with the rigorous technical expertise required to produce artisanal spirits.

Today, production at Distilleria Amato follows precise rules: time‑honored techniques that require deep preparation, such as slow maceration in alcohol and bain‑marie discontinuous distillation, calibrated according to the soul of the final product.

A journey through the flavors of Vesuvius: the products of Distilleria Amato

Production is divided into four main families, all united by the exceptional quality of raw materials and a profound bond with the territory: grappas, fruit brandies, liqueurs and creams.

The grappas — smooth, elegant and full‑bodied — are born from the historic grape varieties of Vesuvius and Mount Somma. Among them stand out the fragrant Grappa del Vesuvio, the unique Grappa Catalanesca (from late‑ripening grapes and aged in French oak), and the vigorous Grappa di Fiano.

The fruit brandies pay homage to Campania’s rarest and most precious fruits: the Acquavite di Albicocca Pellecchiella from Mount Somma, the ancient Mela Annurca (whose apples are slowly ripened on straw), and the extremely rare Pera Pennata from Agerola.

The liqueurs embody the great Vesuvian and Sorrentine tradition in a bottle: from the iconic Limoncello (made with 1.5 kg of fresh lemons per liter) to the surprising Distilled Limoncello, the bold Vesuvian Nocino, the Amaro Villa delle Ginestre, plus licorice, wild fennel, and the classic babà soaked in liqueur.

For those who prefer delicate flavors, the company offers sweet, velvety creams with low alcohol content (20% Vol.) in limoncello, melon and chocolate varieties.

Today we speak with Giuseppe to rediscover the secrets passed down through generations and to understand how the breath of the volcano has helped create a Made in Italy excellence loved everywhere.

In 1997 you brought back to life a still from the early 1900s. What was the emotion of seeing it work again, and how did you manage to combine the “technology” of the past with your modern expertise as a Master Distiller?

It was certainly an indescribable emotion to reactivate a still that belonged to my ancestors and had remained unused for so many years for various reasons. If it hadn’t been for us — the grandchildren and great‑grandchildren of the founder — this treasure would have been lost forever, and the still likely scrapped as waste.

Modernizing it wasn’t too difficult, considering that distillation techniques are based on principles of physics and thermodynamics discovered long ago and still valid today. It was enough to rationalize processes that once relied on analog readings of pressure and temperature, and now use modern platinum probes and digital sensors.

Bain‑marie discontinuous distillation requires about 4 hours to obtain no more than 30–35 liters of distillate (even less for fruit). In your artisanal production, is “waiting” the necessary price to pay to preserve quality?

Slowness is certainly a limitation — it’s easy to understand that larger production volumes would be ideal for us. But this limitation becomes an opportunity when you consider the extremely high quality that can be achieved through such slow, patient distillation, without the pressure of yields and quantities that industrial distilleries prioritize.

Your strength lies in preserving the excellence of your territory. From Grappa Catalanesca to Acquavite di Albicocca Pellecchiella, to the rare Pera Pennata and Mela Annurca, your products seem like a botanical encyclopedia of the region. How does the volcanic soil of Vesuvius give your distillates this extra edge?

Volcanic soils are famously rich in potassium — one of the minerals that most enhances the aromatic qualities of fruits grown in them. We are therefore fortunate to have such fertile land, capable of ensuring superior fruit production, often less rationalized due to the rugged terrain but with an undeniable advantage over more standardized areas.

Since the late 1800s, you have passed down an artisanal excellence from father to son. Do you believe future generations will be able to continue this noble path with the same brilliance?

We, heirs of this noble art, have already laid the foundations for training a new generation of young people with solid cultural and scientific backgrounds, to whom we try to transmit the passion we inherited. In such a globalized world, our challenge is precisely to escape the standardization of tastes and trends, offering something unique and unrepeatable — as we believe our distillates must be.

The Amato family has deep roots. What are the next goals for the distillery to bring these unique flavors — born in the shadow of Vesuvius — to be increasingly known throughout Italy and abroad?

Our main goals are to broaden our horizons, focusing on technological innovation while always respecting tradition, and to strengthen the identity of our unique products, which we aim to present on international markets — markets we already feel ready to enter.