So the nocino is done. Sort of. It came out a bit bitter. It might have been too little sugar, too much clove, or the cheap vodka but it didn't have that luxurious taste that Elise's nocino had. Hers was drinkable. Mine, not so much.However it does possess good flavor. When you first taste it you're engulfed in sweet aromas, nutty scents, and enveloping tastes that just wrap around you, sending your mind into a dessert laden haze. Then it disappears, not even vaporous clouds remain. Then suddenly the bitter taste of the alcohol sucker punches you in the tongue, leaving it's bitter coils wrapped tightly for about two seconds, then it too vanishes.
So what we have is nocino bitters. Perfect for flavoring a spot of gin or vodka perhaps. The bitterness will for the most part vanish in the drink, but the distinct nocino flavors will lay delicately underneath. It's what I will call a successful failure. A welcome mishap. I was planning on curing some bitters anyways, so now I just took an early step.
Cheers!
Hi Garrett - My nocino was bitter too, at first. What you tasted at my house had been stored for at least 2 years, during which time the bitterness mellowed. Do don't give up on it.
ReplyDeleteUh oh. I have been eyeing my nocino and wondering if it was time to decant it. I think so. Glad to see Elise's comment that it may mellow over time.
ReplyDeleteSo what do I do now? Just filter it through some coffee filters or cheese cloth and bottle it?
Andrea - Just filter it through a mesh strainer lined with cheese cloth.
ReplyDeleteWhat Elise said! Some batches taste pretty good right away, but you're supposed to let it age until at least Christmas. A batch I made 3 years ago is still mellowing, and the one I made 2 years ago is just getting perfect.
ReplyDelete