Few brands can claim a legacy as rich and enduring as Disaronno, the world’s favorite Italian liqueur. This year, the iconic amber elixir celebrates its 500th anniversary—a monumental milestone that fuses half a millennium of heritage with the timeless allure of Italian Dolcevita. From its Renaissance origins to its unmistakable Murano glass bottle, Disaronno has spent five centuries perfecting the art of elegance, taste, and innovation. Now, it’s inviting the world to join the party.
The story begins in 1525, when Bernardino Luini, a pupil of Leonardo da Vinci, painted “The Adoration of the Magi” in Saronno. Inspired by a local innkeeper’s beauty, he immortalized her as the Madonna. In gratitude, she gifted him a flask of fragrant, amber-hued liqueur—a secret recipe of delicate flavors that sparked a legend. Fast forward to the 1600s, when the Reina family rediscovered this elixir, refining it through generations until Illva Saronno was born in 1947. Today, that same spirit flows through Disaronno Originale, distributed in over 160 countries and crowned the top Italian liqueur by IWSR 2023.
The celebration spans the globe, from neighborhood bars to the prestigious 50 Best Bars, with fans raising glasses in unison under #disaronno500cheers. “This anniversary isn’t just about our past,” says Marco Ferrari, CEO of Illva Saronno Group. “It’s a testament to the unmistakable Italian style that will carry us forward.” Robert Cullins of Disaronno International USA echoes this: “For 500 years, Disaronno has united cultures through craftsmanship and quality. This is our tribute to that legacy.”
To mark the occasion, Disaronno tapped mixologist Patrick Pistolesi of Rome’s Drink Kong Bar to craft the “Dolcevita” cocktail—a refreshing sour that blends tradition with a modern twist. Here’s how to make it:
Dolcevita Cocktail Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1.25 oz Disaronno Originale
- 0.75 oz Rabarbaro Zucca
- 0.5 oz The Busker Triple Cask Triple Smooth
- 0.75 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
- 0.25 oz Pineapple Juice
- Dash of Agave Syrup
Directions:
Shake with ice, strain into a chilled glass, and garnish with a pineapple slice or lemon twist. It’s a sip of history—bitter, bright, and unmistakably Disaronno.
Since the 1970s, that iconic square-cap bottle—born from a Murano glassmaster’s hands—has been a symbol of Italian design, even gracing the Louvre in 1999. Now, it’s your turn to raise one. Whether at a bar or at home, Disaronno’s 500th anniversary is a call to savor the sweet life, one toast at a time.
