Bertoni Original Chili-Marilli Likör

Bertoni Original Chili-Marilli is an apricot liqueur made by the Bailoni company in Austria, bottled at 22% in 70cl. It is built on an apricot liqueur base, the fruit refined with selected chilli extracts so that sweetness, fruitiness and a spicy heat all sit in the same glass. In the traditional macerated fruit liqueur style the apricot leads, the chilli setting it apart from a plain stone fruit liqueur.

The nose is ripe apricot, fruity sweetness and a subtle spiciness, the palate fruity and intense with apricot, a restrained sweetness and a pleasantly spicy chilli note, the finish warming, fruity and long with a gentle heat. Its job in a glass is fruity sweetness and body with a warming spicy lift, which makes it a useful modifier in apricot sours or spice-forward modern serves, where the chilli plays against citrus and tequila or mezcal. Pour it slightly chilled or over ice to show the balance of fruit and heat. It also works neat as a digestif.