Meletti 1870 Bitter Liqueur

Meletti 1870 Bitter Liqueur is the house's traditional red bitter aperitivo, named for the year Silvio Meletti founded his distillery in Ascoli Piceno. Three separate distillates - sweet orange, bitter orange, and a spice-and-herb infusion - are blended with pure spirit to create a mildly bitter, refreshing aperitivo at 25% ABV (50 proof), the classic Italian way to start an evening. It pours alongside our Campari Bitter Aperitif in the aperitif collection at Del Mesa Liquor.

• Style: Bitter aperitivo liqueur
• Key botanicals: Sweet orange, bitter orange, gentian, coriander, cinnamon, clove
• Origin: Ascoli Piceno, Le Marche, Italy
• ABV: 25% (50 proof)
• Size: 750mL

The Story

Ditta Silvio Meletti has made liqueurs in Ascoli Piceno, in Italy's Le Marche region on the Adriatic coast, since 1870 - five generations of the same family, working from Silvio Meletti's original recipes and his bain-marie still, a slow, gentle distillation he developed to protect delicate aromatics. Most ingredients still come from local Le Marche producers who grow exclusively for the house.

The 1870 Bitter is the family's aperitivo in the grand Italian tradition - the drink of the piazza at golden hour, when the Melettis' own historic Caffe Meletti on the Piazza del Popolo fills up. Rather than a single infusion, the house builds it from three distinct distillates, so the citrus stays bright and the spice stays precise.

Tasting Notes

Sweet citrus and clove on the nose. The palate starts with sweet citrus, moves through a genuinely bitter middle, and finishes with gentian, coriander, cinnamon and clove - lightly bitter and refreshing, less aggressive than many red bitters and all the more drinkable for it.

How to Enjoy

Build a spritz with prosecco and soda, pour it over ice with an orange twist, or use it anywhere a red bitter is called for - it swaps gracefully into a Negroni for a softer, more aromatic take. After dinner, move on to the family's digestivi: the Meletti Amaro and Meletti Fernet.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does Meletti 1870 compare to Campari?
Same role and same strength (25% ABV), but the Meletti leans more herbal and spice-driven - gentian, coriander, cinnamon and clove - with a slightly gentler bitter edge.

What is it made from?
Three distillates - sweet orange, bitter orange, and a spice-and-herb infusion - blended with pure spirit.

How should I serve it?
In a spritz, over ice with an orange twist, or in classic bitter cocktails like the Negroni.

Meletti 1870 Bitter Liqueur (750mL) is available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor, with fast, secure shipping on every order.