I have had this gem of a tabletop still for almost twenty years; it has lived amongst rakes, chickens, hardware and even the goat. It has travelled to umpteen trade shows and now resides semi retired in my office with other shiny copper icons and tools of the trade.
It came to me smuggled off a container shipped to MRR Traders, a wholesaler importer formerly owned by the Berkowitz family of Legal Seafoods. The connection was the most demure and cunning maestro distiller Antonio Nardini. Not that Antonio really does any distilling at all, he is rather the heir currently in a long lineage of great distillations created at Bassano del Grappa in the Veneto. The work began and is listed on every bottle as 1779. This may not necessarily be all that important but for the doktor here after a few thousand investigations in this field I give the title of "platinum status" for this great producer and its range of products.
Antonio is a dear friend and also a bit of a mentor for the field of distillates. He showed me many parameters of production, enjoyment and resapect for spirits. Hishisrorical shop and distillery at the bridge in Bassano is a temple of the roots and the future sightings of appretiation in this field.  It is a must visit if ever between Verona and Venice. He brought to the USA not only classic clear and super riserva grappas, but also amazing almond infusion, acquavite of cedro lemon oil, ruta infusion, an amaro of profound fun called Tagliatelle, and the unique Amaro Liqueur.
We have partied and waxed of ways to make the world a better place with the proper imbibing of quality spirits. We ate white aparagus during the VinItaly times and filled bowls of the classic risi e bisi, a pea infused risotto classic. I competed heavily in after hours studies of new fangled cocktails and shot grappas with no hands for speed and accuracy against the best from Turkey and Colorado.
Antonio scored 6 of these tabletop stills from like a FDS flower store near his home. Simple. In the day almost anything could go on a container in a samples box or carton of POS, point of purchase paper products. The stills made their way around the eastern seaboard. My dear associate Peter Pasten in DC of Obelisk and Two Amys mastered some fig concoctions and hums away in the art of distilling. An old linemate Skip Cribari also tried fruits and working over some hearty Nero d'Avola. My trophy seems to get higher bids in its virgin form, last time around $500.00 for a $25.00 tool. Two of them were sold and one gifted; I have no memory or followup on their destinies.
If you lived in the Veneto, Friuli or maybe even Trentino-Alto-Adige, and were of the past generation meaning born roughly between the wars it is very possible that you had one of these in your home for homeopathic propulsions. Many people distill herbs like chamomille and valerian for stomach and sleeping aids. Mine is inspiration and karma setting.
So in this NE weather of Janaury I set a pledge to wake up earlier, stretch harder, and when the sun hits my computer light the lamp for a corrected tea or coffee and praise the new generation of distillati in moonshine over Sheldonville.

Dicovery 101

Why bother?
Because grappa is an Italian culture and history in liquid form.  This liquid needs an appreciative scope.
A grape is 85% water, 10% skins, 5% seeds roughly.  The compounds are sugars, acids, minerals/vitamins.
A glass of wine is 82% water, 12% alcohol roughly.  In this composition are 0.01-0.1% aromatic substances, 0.1-105 sugars, 0.4-1.0% acids, 0.2-0.4% mineral salts.
100 kilos of fresh grapes produces 2 liters of grappa.  Or 1 bottle of grappa requires the vinaccia, the wet skins of the wine production process from 50 bottles of wine.
A glass of grappa is 99% water and ethyl alcohol.  Ethanol is the most important sensory experience.  It is a colorless liquid with a fine pleasant smell, fiery taste and inebriating effect.  The amount of congeners, the tricky impurities of this alcoholic polemic range to a thousand perceptible aromas!  The human vehicle is designed expressly to smell the magic; the inebriation clause is the taste that needs to be respected and mitigated, as in "correct your coffee, or align your gustatory gyroscope."
Why bother?
In the world of spirits the 44 million bottles of grappa produced are not all equal, certainly; the percentage of gasoline like products to artisinal beauties is dropping precipitously.  Find something good and check it out.  It may not make sense initially, there are many reasons to pledge allegiance. For today the picture is clear.
Respect, understanding, curiosity, lifestyle upgrades, refreshment with warmth, disgestion without zantac, and believe it or not, culinary pursuits beyond your wildest imagination.

First and GOAL- all the time.

Catch this deluxe roadie for your next outing or inner adventure, aka pocket experience.
A beautiful 3.3 ounces of pure Carricante and Nerello Mascalese pomaces waiting to warm your winning ways.  Get closer to all goal posts with one slug through the magic pouring cap.

This is the real deal Grappa.  Fresh, floral, morbido to you in soft texture, firm authority in the backbone. Added heat without unnecessary layering.

The hip flask ends up being the perfect solution as a travelers aid.  No need to find the bar, you are the BAR, and you set plays in motion on the spot. Sports, shopping, driving not at the wheel, loving life, or managing anger of life; the medicine is less than a foot from your pocket.  Refillable and refundable for your lifestyle.

Where to Doktor elixir?
These beauties are found in Mass. at the following:
Curtis Liquor Store, Brix Wine Shop, Bauer Wines Ltd., Martys Newtonville, Vintages, Wollaston Wines and in Providence at Eno and Gasbarros.  Or email.

Rooftop Giovi for your consideration.

20 degrees, DC sojourn, windchill zero, dryness abounds.

Doktor Distillato summons the audience to see the two bottles of Giovi arise to the roof. Here the genie of distillation is called upon to do the simple exercise of warming the throat, tummy and mind.

Two giants stand side by side waiting for customers to shake hands and coddle the glottis. It is the high season for grappa drinking and appreciation. Game on means glass up.

These beauties are the first debuts from George's search for dynamite spirits for the USA. Both are based on the freshest potent skins of Nerello Mascalese and Carricante from Etna. One is clear and the other infused with stinging nettles and lemon peel. Steam vaporization from the hands of Giovanni LaFauci, the Giovi father delivers richness, body and temperance worthy of many visits.

Coming to a theater near you; or contact the good doktor yourself at gschwartz3@comcast.net.

Prosit, and cherish warmth and digestivo moments!

Happy New Year to all and a warm welcome to my blog.

Let's toast to the arrival of the wondrous Giovi cherry liqueur, the first amarena speciman to come from outer space to your space. Grown on the slopes of Sicily's Mt. Etna, the cherries are hand crafted in a grappa solution by the maestro/artiste Giovanni LaFauci.

Luscious in a tiny bowl, savory as a cocktail adjunct, simple in a bellini punch, dextrous in a duck sauce, drizzed over freddos and semifreddos. Lovely injected in chocolate truffles, superlative replacement for sweet vermouth in Negronis plus.

It's winter. It's cold. It only makes sense to be drinking liquid cherries. Now.