Frangelico is an Italian hazelnut liqueur — a sweet, nutty after-dinner pour — and we keep it close at hand at Grappa in Seattle’s Queen Anne neighborhood. Made in the Piedmont region of northwestern Italy, it is built around the prized local hazelnut and finished with a quiet layer of cocoa, vanilla and coffee. We list it because few things close an Italian meal more gracefully than a small glass of toasted hazelnut sweetness, sipped slowly by candlelight.
About the Producer
Frangelico hails from Canale, in the Piedmont region long famed for its hazelnut orchards. The brand was created in 1978 and today belongs to Gruppo Campari. Its name and distinctive friar-shaped bottle nod to a legend of monks in the Piedmont hills who, the story goes, crafted liqueurs from the nuts and herbs around them — a piece of romance the modern producer happily preserves.
Style & Production
Frangelico is made from Tonda Gentile hazelnuts, the celebrated Piedmont variety carrying a Protected Geographical Indication. The hazelnuts are toasted and crushed, then steeped in alcohol and water before distillation. That hazelnut spirit is blended with extracts of cocoa, vanilla, coffee and other closely guarded flavorings, then sweetened, rested for several weeks, and bottled at 20% alcohol by volume. The result is a soft, dessert-style liqueur rather than a sharp spirit.
Tasting Notes
The nose is unmistakably toasted hazelnut, warm and inviting, with hints of vanilla and milk chocolate. The palate is round and sweet, carrying that roasted-nut character alongside soft cocoa and a whisper of coffee. The finish is gentle and lingering, nutty and smooth, never cloying.
What to Pair It With
Its toasted-nut sweetness is made for dessert. Pour it alongside Mama’s Tiramisu, let it echo the cocoa in our Flourless Chocolate Cake, or sip it after a scoop of Gelato/Sorbet. See the full dine-in menu for more.
How It’s Served at Grappa
Frangelico is poured at $9, served neat as a digestif, over ice, or in a cocktail.
FAQ
Where is it from?
Frangelico is made in Canale, in the Piedmont region of northwestern Italy, an area long known for its hazelnut orchards.
What does it taste like?
It tastes of toasted hazelnuts with soft notes of vanilla, milk chocolate and a whisper of coffee, sweet and smooth with a gentle, lingering finish.
How is it traditionally enjoyed?
It is usually enjoyed as an after-dinner digestif, sipped neat or over ice, and it also adds a nutty sweetness to coffee and cocktails.
When you’re ready, book a table, explore the cocktail & spirits list, and browse the dine-in menu.
