Italy is famed for it's beautiful wines but has an equally rich history when it comes to the making of alcoholic spirits. Italians have been distilling alcohol to create the group of beverages we know to day as spirits since the first century AD. Legends tell of a Roman soldier who first distilled grappa in the northern Italian town of Bassano del Grappa using distilling equipment stolen in Egypt (“Crisiopea di Cleopatra” 2nd century AD). Today grappa, along with digestifs, liquers and aperitf's are an integral part of the sophisticated daily routine that one associates with the great cities and towns of Italy. An example is The Martini,a mix of vermouth and gin, invented in Torino in 1863, which has become a potent symbol of all that is wonderful about Italian culture and regardless of whether it is shaken or stirred, it's one of the group of alcoholic beverages enjoyed around the world and simply referred to as "spirits."
