Letterpress Nocino is a green-walnut liqueur — a dark, bittersweet Italian-style digestivo — and it is poured at Grappa in Seattle’s Queen Anne neighborhood. Made just across town by Letterpress Distilling, it is the local expression of nocino, the traditional walnut liqueur of central and northern Italy. We list it because it brings an old-world after-dinner ritual together with our own city’s craft-distilling spirit, a fitting pour for a restaurant named for an Italian distillate.
About the Producer
Letterpress Distilling is a small craft distillery in Seattle’s SoDo neighborhood, founded by distiller Skip Tognetti, whose love of Italian liqueurs traces back to his grandfather’s neighborhood shop in Rome. The house specializes in small-batch Italian-style liqueurs and works closely with local farmers to source its fruit and botanicals, making it one of the few American producers devoted to this tradition.
Style & Production
Nocino is made from green, unripe walnuts harvested in early summer while the husks are still soft. Letterpress keeps its approach deliberately simple, building the liqueur around just a few ingredients — green walnuts, Seville orange peel and light brown sugar — so the walnut itself stays at the center. The walnuts are steeped to draw out their dark color and bittersweet, spice-tinged character, then sweetened and rested into a deep, mahogany-hued liqueur.
Tasting Notes
The nose offers dark, nutty richness with orange peel and warm baking spice. On the palate it is bittersweet and layered — cola-like spice, dried fruit, cocoa and a green, faintly tannic walnut bitterness underneath. The finish is long and gently bitter, the hallmark of a proper after-dinner digestivo.
What to Pair It With
Nocino is built for the end of the meal. Pour it alongside Mama’s Tiramisu, with our Flourless Chocolate Cake, or beside a Charcuterie Board. See the full dine-in menu for more.
How It’s Served at Grappa
Letterpress Nocino is poured at $10, served neat or over a single large cube as a digestif.
FAQ
Where is it from?
It is made in Seattle by Letterpress Distilling, a small craft distillery specializing in Italian-style liqueurs.
What does it taste like?
It is bittersweet and nutty, with orange peel, warm baking spice, cocoa and dried fruit over a green walnut bitterness, finishing long and gently bitter.
What is nocino?
Nocino is a traditional Italian liqueur made from green, unripe walnuts; it is dark, spiced and bittersweet, and is typically enjoyed as an after-dinner digestivo.
When you’re ready, book a table, explore the cocktail & spirits list, and browse the dine-in menu.
