Maidenii Nocturne Amer (500ml)

This is Maidenii's super premium line of "Amaro", a more intense digestif to act as counterpoint to their current line of Apertifs. Extremely limited stocks.

Tasting note: [2016 edition / taken from a 30ml sample] Pale, slightly cloudy salmon pink / autumn leaf orange. Pure and intense aromas of pink grapefruit and a gently bitter medley of fresh herbal notes; just as complex in the mouth, and seamlessly integrated, this ups the bitterness on last year's release and lingers even longer in the aftertaste. Impressive. 21.5% Alc./Vol.

[2015 edition / taken from a 30ml sample] Cloudy / translucent autumn leaf brown with fine sediment. Aromas of grapefruit / plum / pepper / curry leaf? Entry is dried herb-like yet fruity building with prune, sweet spice and lively acidity. Finish adds an superb bitter-herb power wave. Ends delicately bitter, grapefruit-like and long. 93 points 21.5% Alc./Vol.

Other reviews... My “wine” of the weekend, though, was Nocturne, a new amaro (or bitter fortified digestif liqueur) from Victorian vermouth producer Maidenii. This incredibly complex, startlingly original drink started life as a barrel-aged rose, with layers of flavour then built up through additions of botanicals such as quandong, pepper, munthurri berries and black truffle, and a mouth-hugging bitterness provided by gentian and angelica. It’s very limited — just one barrel, or 300 bottles of this first release were produced... it’s one of the most remarkable fluids to have flowed across my tongue all year. - Max Allen