Russo Arancello di Sicilia

Appearance: Murky orange. Smell: Potent orange, much like concentrated orange juice with a touch of added orange peel. Taste and Feel: Sugary, powerful orange with a little alcohol warmth. A bittersweet finish. Texture is syrupy at room temperature, thick when cold. A direct but well-crafted orange liquor. Cellos aren't typically complex; their skill lies in capturing the pure essence of the fruit. This is one of several Sicilian liquors recently stocked. The Russo Distillery began in 1870, but recently production and sales have expanded. They produce a variety of grappa, amari, and liquors using their own distilled neutral spirits. Similar to limoncello and other classic citrus liquors, arancello is made by soaking peel in alcohol. This version uses local Sicilian oranges, with the peel steeped for 8-10 days. After maceration, the liquor is diluted to 30% alcohol with sugar syrup. It's accurate to say there are only three 'levels' of cellos. Most (especially homemade ones) are just okay and very similar. Some are truly terrible, and a select few are excellent. This particular arancello, while not exceptional, ranks above average. It's a pleasing digestif, best served straight from the freezer in a chilled glass. I suspect it would also work well as a triple sec substitute, offering a more rustic, crisp, and fruity character to cocktails. It definitely made me want to sample more from their collection. "Above Average": 81/100 (3 stars)