Vecchio Magazzino Doganale (old customs warehouse) is a liqueur factory and a rural farm located in Montalto Uffago, Calabria. Founded by creative entrepreneur Ivano Trombino, the company specialises in cultivating and selecting botanicals and citrus fruits around Calabria and produces unique and authentic liqueurs. Ivano found his inspiration in the ancient recipes, letters and diaries of his grandfather Egidio. The story goes that in 1871 Egidio and three American sailors, one of them Captain Jefferson, survived a shipwreck in the Calabrian waters and sought refuge at the Vecchio Magazzino Doganale. With support of the owner of the farm, Giocondo, the castaway’s new lives soon centred around the production of a special liqueur, today known as Jefferson Amaro Importante, against a backdrop of wonderful flavours, citrus fruits, spices and herbs. Jefferson Amaro offers notes of gentian, rosemary, oregano and citrus nuances that give way to sensations of sweet spices in the background. It is soft and smooth on the palate, well balanced, with an herbal finish. The ingredients are processed separately in a water-alcohol infusion, preserving the raw materials and seasonality. This is why the assemblage of Jefferson takes more than 11 months, never resorting to artificial aromas or coloring agents – a linen cloth is the only means used for filtering. Awarded the world’s best liqueur at the 2018 World Liqueur Awards.