Don Ciccio & Figli is a line of premium liqueurs with a history unlike any other. We were thrilled to recently catch up with a member of the DCF family to learn all about where they’ve been, and where they are going.
100 years without an incident. Then…
For nearly a century, the Amodeo family enjoyed the good life on the Amalfi Coast of Italy, crafting some of the finest liqueurs around. The beautiful seaside city was surrounded by mountains—a perfect setting for a family business.
Then, in 1980, disaster struck, and an earthquake ravaged the town, destroying the distillery.
It was never rebuilt.
A spirit reborn
In 2012, Francesco Amodeo decided to follow in his great-great-great grandparent’s footsteps and bring the family spirit back to life. He was living in Washington, D.C., and bartending at some of the finest restaurants in the vibrant hospitality scene. One night, he started experimenting at the bar.
“He was playing around in the back of the bar and started making some cordials,” said Miguel Mejia, Don Ciccio & Figli Regional Manager. “He started making some of his grandfather’s old recipes, and the patrons were telling him how great it was—the Limoncellos and Mandarinettos. The response convinced him to restart the family business.”
Thus, Don Ciccio & Figli was born.
Legendary liqueurs
In the first six years of the restart brand, Don Ciccio & Figli has stocked a full bar of award-winning spirits.
- C3 – Carciofo (recipe dates back to 1911)
“The past year was really good because we released our C3 – Carciofo,” Mejia said. “It's a Cynar cousin, except much more savory. It's got a nice bitterness on the backend to it and not as viscous as you have with others like it.”
- Amaro Tonico Ferro-Kina (recipe dates back to 1967)
“Maybe our most interesting product that came out last year is our Ferro-Kina, which is an iron amaro, and we're the only company in the United States to make that style,” Mejia said. “It's really exciting!”
- Donna Rosa Rabarbaro (recipes dates back to 1896)
“We just rebranded a Rabarbaro, which is rhubarb,” Mejia said. “It's very light, very delicate. It's got some rose petal and rhubarb notes.”
For the full lineup of DCF spirits: https://donciccioefigli.com/shop/
The Great Amaro
What makes an amaro such a special spirit?
“Balance,” Mejia said. “For us, we want the balance between the sweet and the bitter to match up so that you don't get too much of either because lately we have seen a lot of amaros that come out, and they're either too much of one or the other. It's all about getting that perfect balance so that it is a complete experience from start to finish, but without overloading you in any sense.”
What are you drinking?
One of the many amazing things about Don Ciccio & Figli’s range is that all of the liqueurs pair well with a wide range of cocktails.
“Obviously, Negronis and Boulevardiers are great cocktails for our spirits,” Mejia said. “However, I'm a tiki nerd. I really love rum and our Luna amara—it makes a mean Jungle Bird. That's got that great bitterness to it. Black Manhattans with our Carciofo are pretty heavenly.”