The Nocino is a dark, dense liqueur traditionally served as a digestif. It is obtained from walnut husks, the pulpy and aromatic outer shells that enclose the fruit and its wooden case. 

The walnuts used for production come from old hillside trees and must be harvested at just the right stage: not too immature -otherwise the nocino turns greenish- nor too ripe, which would result in a sour, woody liqueur. Its origins are somewhat mysterious: the Romans attributed it to the Picti, a Gallic people. Probably introduced from France, it soon became surrounded by an aura of esotericism, as walnuts were often associated with spells and witchcraft. Traditionally, the walnuts were gathered on the night of San Giovanni (St. John’s Day), picked with bare hands on account of the belief that iron tools would compromise their medicinal virtues. After harvesting, they were left to macerate.