Ingredients
An infusion built on Chinese rhubarb root, rounded with mountain herbs and a base of Nardini's own grappa distillate.
- ✦Chinese rhubarb root
- ✦Gentian
- ✦Bitter orange peel
- ✦Alpine herbs
- ✦Cane sugar
History of the Brand
Bortolo Nardini opened his distillery at the foot of the Ponte Vecchio in Bassano del Grappa in 1779, making it the oldest working grappa house in Italy.
The grapperia beside the bridge still serves the family's liqueurs to walkers crossing the Brenta, and Rabarbaro is the one locals order by the glass.
Rhubarb root imported along the old Venetian spice routes gave northern Italian distillers a smoky, earthy bitter that alpine botanicals alone could not supply.
Nardini keeps the bottling low in strength and low in sugar, which is why it drinks more like a long refresher than a heavy after-dinner amaro.
Tasting Characteristics
Damp earth, burnt sugar and dried rhubarb.
Lean and dry — rhubarb root, faint cocoa and a herbal gentian lift.
Short, clean and softly smoky.
Flavor meter
How to serve it
- 01Over ice with soda and a lemon wedge — the Veneto house pour.
- 02Neat at room temperature after a long lunch.
- 03In a Rabarbaro Tonic with plenty of ice.
- 04Split with prosecco for a low-strength spritz.
Where to Get It
Easy to find across northern Italy; imported to the US and UK in litre bottles.
Italian bottle shops
A supermarket staple in the Veneto.
Online spirits retailers
Search 'Nardini Rabarbaro'.
The Bassano grapperia
Nardini's bridge-side bar pours it by the glass.
Where to buy Nardini Rabarbaro
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Nardini Rabarbaro FAQ
How strong is Nardini Rabarbaro?
+
Just 16% ABV, which is why it is usually served long with soda rather than as a small digestivo pour.
How does it compare to Sfumato?
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Sfumato is smokier and more intense; Nardini is lighter, drier and easier to drink in quantity.