In the pretty town of Molfetta by the sea, ANTICHI ELIXIR is born, an imaginative artisan liqueur maker that makes authenticity its trademark. The company recounts the territory through quality liqueurs and bitters that encapsulate the most sincere expression of our ancestors' traditions, combining scrupulous production at every stage.
Welcoming us into the laboratory is Alessio Picca, a young entrepreneur who in 2007 decided to combine solid experience in the sector with a love for his land and the genuineness of its fruits. Crossing the threshold, we observe a riot of elegant bottles containing liqueurs in the amber colours typical of quinces, the red nuances of pomegranate or the intense, almost black, purple of wild black mulberry.
They are almost like ampoules containing elixirs with beneficial properties prepared with exclusive recipes, the result of continuous experiments that give the final product a strong personalisation. The raw materials are fundamental to producing quality liqueurs and bitters, processed as they used to be.
Alessio explains in great detail, and with infinite gratitude, the immense heritage of recipes left by his grandmothers, recipes that today allow Antichi Elixir to carry on a family history. The fruits used are all local and their harvest is seasonal, thus conditioned by spring temperatures, synonymous with an uncommon respect for nature's cycles.
Prepared on the basis of Alessio's grandmother's homemade version, 'Cydò' is one of Antichi Elixir's must-have liqueurs. It is composed only of quince juice and good-tasting alcohol, with an alcohol content of 45°. The quinces are harvested and processed strictly by hand during the spring, when the fruit is at the peak of its ripeness and releases all the goodness of its nectar. A long ageing period of about two years sublimates 'Cydò' with elegant, decisive and at the same time soft notes.
"109" is the number of almonds in the artisanal elixir, which, not by chance, is called 109 Almonds. Also derived from a historical recipe, this bitter is a true treasure of our land. The alcoholic infusion is made with Toritto almonds of the 'Filippo Cea' variety, a Slow Food presidium and rich in antioxidant properties. The touch of class of 109 Almonids given by the addition of gentian roots, plants, flowers, citrus peels and local spices mixed together, resulting in a perfect and intense alchemy of smells and flavours.
The bitter distinguished itself at the Spirits Selection world competition in Brussels, challenging over a thousand companies from all over the world and receiving a coveted silver medal. Ruby is the colour of 'Ako', a pomegranate liqueur with a sweet and slightly astringent taste, bottled in a sinuous, diamond-shaped container that makes its seductive tones stand out.
Those of Antichi Elixir are liqueurs and bitters that are the fruit of stainless stories and traditions that defy the passing of the years. Elixirs of long life that delight the palate, pamper the spirit and speak of a wonderful land: Apulia.
