This Christmas, the perfect gift for anyone who has ever ended a long Italian lunch with a digestivo comes from behind the bar. Nazionale Spirito Italiano, the bartender-led brand reimagining Amaro and Limoncello, launches in the UK this November, with both bottles available from The Whisky Exchange.
Nazionale was born at Cinquanta Spirito Italiano, a bar in Pagani in Campania, opened by three friends six years ago. Together with the bar’s manager and head bartender, the five of them decided to make their own. Their brief was simple: keep everything people love about the classics, use less sugar, and make spirits as good in a cocktail as they are poured neat over ice.
The drinks world has already taken notice. At the 2026 London Spirits Competition, Nazionale Amaro won double gold with 96 points, and Nazionale Limoncello took gold with 91.
The look is as playful as the liquid. The branding takes its cue from the Italian bar sport, the neighbourhood café where locals gather over table football and a shared aperitivo, so both bottles stand out under the tree. The design has picked up major industry awards too, including a D&AD Graphite Pencil, Best of Beverage at the Dieline Awards and two Pentawards Golds.
The bottles
Nazionale Amaro, £36.75, 70cl, 28% ABV For the serious Negroni lover. A contemporary amaro with a traditional soul, opening with orange peel, roasted coffee and vanilla over delicate herbal notes. Smooth and rounded, with artichoke-led botanicals and a fine balance of citrus, sweetness and bitterness. Sip it neat over ice after dinner, or swap it into a Negroni or a Boulevardier for a richer, rounder twist.
Nazionale Limoncello, £31.50, 70cl, 25% ABV For anyone who still dreams about that Italian summer. Made with Verdello lemons, it is fresh and vibrant, with floral and green citrus notes and less sugar than the classics, so the lemon leads. Serve it straight from the freezer as a digestivo, or top with prosecco for a spritz that brings a little Italian sunshine to a grey December.
“We started Nazionale behind the bar, pouring for friends and neighbours, and that sense of sharing is what it is all about. Amaro and Limoncello are the drinks Italians bring out to welcome people in or to finish a good meal together, so they make a natural Christmas gift. We just wanted them a little brighter, a little less sweet and a lot more fun to mix with.” Alfonso Califano, Co-Founder and CEO, Nazionale