Disaronno is a legendary Italian liqueur whose recipe is said to date back to the 1500s. The production of Disaronno amaretto started at the beginning of the 20th century and is still produced by Illva Saronno. Disaronno Amaretto, or Amaretto di Saronno as it used to be earlier, remained the company’s only product for a long time until 2015, when Disaronno Riserva was released, combining amaretto and Scotch whisky. The company’s third product, Disaronno Velvet, is a cream liqueur flavored with amaretto. Oil pressed from apricot stones, neutral alcohol, vanilla, sugar and cream have been used for production. The liqueur is produced in Holland, but it is bottled at the Illva Saronno factory in Italy. The product is bottled in the same, massive and iconic bottle of Disaronno, which is painted white. The price of a 50 cl bottle was €12.99.
In the glass, Disaronno Velvet is a bit rosy pale. Lighter than you would expect from the combination of cream and amaretto. The nose is dominated by the familiar bitter almond aroma. In the background there are some shades of cream and vanilla and a light hint of ethanol. The mouthfeel is richly creamy, clearly thicker than the previously tested Amarula. Sweet, but not as sugary as you might expect. In fact, it is less sweet than traditional Disaronno, which was too sugary for me to sip neat. Bitter almond dominates the taste, but vanilla is also prominent in the background. The aftertaste has a slightly bittersweet note of bitter almond and a light bite of ethanol.
Disaronno Velvet is a very straightforward blend of amaretto and cream. In fact, making it at home by mixing amaretto, cream and a splash of vodka might give you almost the same result. Unfortunately, I couldn’t test it because I don’t have Disaronno on my shelf at the moment. The bottle I bought was on sale in the store, so if it is normally closer to 20 euros, it is a bit overpriced considering the straightforward content. In any case, Disaronno Velvet is a luscious, delicious and full-bodied cream liqueur that will surely appeal to lovers of Baileys and other similar liqueurs.
88/100
