Strega Liqueur is an enchanting Italian herbal digestif, vibrant yellow from saffron, featuring a complex blend of around 70 botanicalsminty, piney, mildly sweet, and richly spiced. Ideal neat, on the rocks, or in intriguing cocktails.

Quick Overview

• Origin & Production: Crafted since 1860 in Benevento (the legendary city of witches) by the Alberti family. Named StregaItalian for witchafter local folklore and the medieval practice of sealing its secret recipe with a coded herb cupboard

• ABV & Format: Bottled at 40% (80 proof), with natural golden color from saffron and no artificial additives

Taste & Aroma

• Nose: Bright saffron tinges open into a mint-forward aroma with juniper, pine, and soft anise notes

• Palate: Lightly viscous, sweet-herbal body featuring mint, fennel, cinnamon, vanilla, honey, and cloves, with piney freshness and a touch of menthol .

• Finish: Smooth, lingering aftertaste of spearmint, saffron, and gentle bitter spice .

Context & Comparisons

• Often compared to Yellow Chartreuse thanks to its vibrant color and herbal complexity, yet slightly sweeter and softerespecially minty and clove-spicy

• Historically aged in ash-wood barrels to integrate its rich herbal medley

• Holds cultural significance via the esteemed Premio Strega literary prize, sponsored by the distillery since 1947

Usage & Pairings

• As a digestif: Enjoy neat or chilled after meals.

• On the rocks: Light dilution highlights herbal clarity.

• Cocktail ingredient: A popular Yellow Chartreuse substituteadds herbal depth to drinks like:

  • Witch Hunt: Strega + whiskey + vermouth + lemonade

  • Strega Daiquiri: Strega + rum + lemon juice

• In desserts: A traditional flavoring for torta caprese and treats.

Community Feedback

From r/cocktails discussions:

Strega is great and pretty close to yellow chartreuse, but definitely a bit more pungent more cloves saffron is pretty pronounced too.

Final Take

Strega shines as a bewitching herbal digestifcomplex but approachable, mint-forward with saffron spice, and wonderfully versatile. Whether sipped slowly, stirred into a craft cocktail, or drizzled over dessert, its a magical addition to any cabinet.

95 Points 2020 Ultimate Spirits Challenge

Liquore Strega is an Italian herbal liqueur produced since 1860 by the S. A. Distilleria Liquore Strega in Benevento, Italy. Its distinctive yellow color comes from the presence of saffron. Strega is bottled at 80 proof (40% ABV), which is an alcohol content comparable to most hard liquors, but it has a sweetness and viscosity typical of liqueurs. Among its approximately 70 herbal ingredients are mint and fennel, giving it a complex flavor with minty and coniferous notes.

Strega is considered a digestif. It is also used for flavoring torta caprese, a type of cake.

Strega was developed in 1860 by the fatherson team of Carmine Vincenzo Alberti and Giuseppe Alberti. The company experienced growth until Giuseppe Alberti’s death in 1894. Alberti’s four sons Ugo, Vincenzo, Francesco and Luigi took control. The company received a royal warrant of appointment to the Italian King.

Strega became well known for its colorful and artistic advertising. One poster was designed in 1906 by in the art nouveau style. Strega is the Italian word for “witch” and since legends of witchcraft at Benevento date back to the time of the Lombard invasion, it was a natural choice of name for the liqueur. The liqueur is sometimes called “the witch” in the English-speaking world.