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The product
What genziana is
The liqueur of great yellow gentian roots.
Genziana is a bitter liqueur made by infusing the dried roots of the great yellow gentian (Gentiana lutea) in alcohol or white wine, with sugar and sometimes aromatic herbs. It is golden yellow and decidedly bitter.
It is considered an excellent digestif and is drunk after meals, especially in mountain areas. It is on the list of Abruzzo’s traditional food products.
Territory
Where it comes from
The great yellow gentian grows on the high pastures of the Abruzzo Apennines: Gran Sasso, Majella, Velino-Sirente and the National Park mountains. The liqueur tradition was born in the mountain villages, but today it is made throughout the region.
From field to table
How it is made
- Gentian roots are gathered in autumn, washed and dried.
- They are cut into pieces and infused for at least 40 days in alcohol or white wine.
- The infusion is filtered and a syrup of water and sugar is added.
- The liqueur rests a few more weeks before bottling.
In the kitchen
How to use it
A liqueur for the end of the meal.
- As a digestif after big lunches and dinners
- Served at room temperature or chilled
- In small amounts as a bitter aperitif, with ice
- With dry biscuits and mostaccioli
Tips
How to choose and store it
- Genziana is very bitter: taste it in small sips.
- The wine-based version is lighter than the alcohol-based one.
- If you make it at home, use only bought roots: picking the wild plant is forbidden.
- Keep the bottle in the dark, tightly closed.
Respect the mountains: the great yellow gentian is a protected species in Abruzzo and picking it in the wild is forbidden by regional law.
Ordering
Where to buy it and whom to contact
Contacts checked on the official websites in October 2026: check availability and prices before ordering.
Distilleria Toro
The Tocco da Casauria distillery, born from the pharmacy of Beniamino Toro, who began making centerbe in 1817. It also makes genziana and ratafià.
- Address: Via Tiburtina Valeria km 192,440 – 65028 Tocco da Casauria (PE)
- Email: sales@liquoritoro.it
- Order online: liquoritoro.com
Gallery
Photos
Tap a photo to enlarge it.
Photo by abruzzoparchi.it: gentian roots, washed and cut, ready for making the liqueur. The menu icon is also made from it.
Tradition
History and trivia
Gentian roots have been used for centuries in folk medicine as a digestive remedy and tonic. Shepherds and mountain families made the liqueur at home, each with their own recipe.
Over time genziana became one of Abruzzo’s signature liqueurs, also produced by distilleries and liqueur makers in the region.
Did you know? the great yellow gentian can live more than fifty years and flowers only after many years: that is why protecting it matters so much.