Mixology as a Cultural Act – Part 2

In conversation with Fulvio Piccinino

In the first part of our conversation with Fulvio Piccinino, we explored Futurism, history, and education. But his outlook is far from nostalgic – today more than ever, the real challenge is understanding how to transform memory into a creative tool.
From the role of distillates in cocktails to the connection with producers and the value of local identity, here’s the second half of the interview.

Futurist polibibite often used Italian spirits, including grappa. What role do you think grappa could play in cocktails today?
I wrote about this in my book, and I often discuss it in talks. Over the years, many have tried to introduce grappa into mixology. Angelo Zola, president of AIBES, launched a competition during grappa’s golden age – back when Mike Bongiorno and Enzo Tortora were promoting major brands. Later, other top bartenders gave it a shot: we had Grappa Experience, the Spirito Italiano competition, and the Vento cocktail on the AIBES list.

Personally, I have a clear opinion. As long as we keep chasing those famous 4 cl in a cocktail, we’ll be stuck with passing trends, dictated by brand promo budgets. We’ve even seen so-called “mixing grappas” launched – but they’ve never truly taken off.

Instead, if we look to the past – take Elvezio Grassi, for example – he used grappa in 10–20% ratios, alongside vermouth. Vermouth is wine-based, just like grappa. A small dose of grappa enhances and completes the wine-derived aromas. You can see this in at least three cocktails in his book Mille Misture: Zuavo, Figliol Prodigo, and Torino Milano #2.

Grappa doesn’t need to be the base spirit – it can play a supporting or corrective role. One famous aromatic bitter built an empire just by being used drop by drop. If we stop trying to swap it in for whisky or gin in classic cocktails – creating awkward “twists” – we might actually create something original.

Just look at the example of mezcal. The producers realized that ancestral styles alone weren’t going to open up the market, so they built a production framework that defined three types. Grappa only needs two: Traditional Grappa and Grappa. The first would house the classic spirit. The second could include wood finishes, peated expressions, lower volatiles, aromatizations, and so on.

Today, the biggest issue I run into during tastings is the excessive variety under a single name. In the end – especially with international guests – I’m always asked, “But which one is the grappa?” And the answer is: all of them. But when I taste Cognac or Spanish Brandy, there’s a common thread tying them together.

Have you ever reinterpreted a polibibita using aged grappa? And what kind of profile would you look for in a grappa suited to mixology?
I’ve never used aged grappas in cocktails – when I mix, I want to taste the raw material. And I need to know how to dose its intensity, as I said before.

Grappa should remain grappa. It shouldn’t tone down its aromatic profile. It’s up to me, as a bartender, to find the right supporting elements to bring it into harmony.

How important is a direct relationship with producers?
Very. Like anything that’s built together – you can’t go far alone.

You often work with artisanal producers like Marolo, who make grappa with a strong sense of place. What do you appreciate most about projects like this? And how can they inspire those working behind the bar today?
For me, terroir is essential – but it shouldn’t just be a buzzword. Companies like Marolo deserve real support. When you offer a local product, you shouldn’t feel provincial – and yet I still hear people shy away from serving vermouth as an aperitif or grappa after dinner because it feels too “small town.”

What I appreciate is the attachment to one’s land, and consistency. Working with terroir means thinking about cocktails that include multiple identity-driven elements. I used to make a pestato with a slice of orange, a few de-seeded Moscato grapes, grappa, and a Moscato spumante top. Garnished with a sage leaf.

A tip for bartenders: how can they approach grappa in cocktails without compromising its identity?
As I said during a masterclass on the subject: grappa is like a refined lady – you need to support her, not contradict her. You need to know her, study her facets. Understand the product, and act accordingly.

If the Espresso Martini had been born with grappa, we’d be set. I’m sure many Italian bartenders thought of mixing grappa and coffee at some point – but dismissed it as too obvious, too provincial, since it stems from the tradition of caffè corretto.

Then along came the late Dick Bradsell, who took a Black Russian and added a shot of espresso.
We need to start again from our own traditions.
Who remembers the Grigioverde?