Spirito Autoctono 2026: the Guide to Fine Italian Spirits awards Amaro Don Carlo the Golden Ampoule
Amaro Don Carlo has been awarded the Ampolla d’Oro by Spirito Autoctono 2026, the highest accolade bestowed by the guide, which is edited and curated by journalists Francesco Bruno Fadda and Lara De Luna. The guide explores Italy’s world of spirits, bitters, liqueurs and artisanal vermouths, taking readers directly to the places where they are produced.
“A liqueur that pays homage to the great Campania tradition of walnut-based liqueurs. Its creation follows an ancient ritual: the walnuts are harvested on the night of St John’s Day, then left to macerate patiently for forty days” – this is the presentation of Amaro Don Carlo in the Guide’s entry, followed by the organoleptic description: “This traditional core blends with other herbs to create a complex and harmonious profile. On the nose, the typical notes of the amaro are softened by warm, enveloping hints of walnuts. The palate is its true hallmark: a refined product yet with a rounded soul, a smooth and inviting sip that never loses its character. A liqueur with a unique flavour, perfect for adding an original and bold twist to mixed drinks.”
Created in 1994 thanks to the vision and passion of Angela Caliendo and Carlo Gargiulo, this artisanal liqueur—made from walnut husks (60%) and a blend of selected herbs and spices, all sourced exclusively from Campania—is an elegant and refined after-dinner drink, a liqueur for contemplation and a valuable ally in mixology and in the kitchen for the preparation of fine dining dishes, to which it lends refined aromatic notes and depth of flavour.
The award of the Ampolla d’Oro in the 2026 edition of the book published by Trenta Editore not only attests to the excellence of this product – which is now the true flagship of the historic Gargiulo Coloniali business in Eboli – but also serves as further confirmation of the soundness of the path that Carlo and Angela have charted and continue to pursue today with tenacity, dedication and vision.
Amaro Don Carlo’s journey has, in fact, been marked by a string of national and international awards that speak to its quality, identity and ability to raise the profile of the region beyond the borders of the Italian peninsula, earning praise and acclaim from both consumers and critics alike.
