Vecchia Romagna

Vecchia Romagna was founded in 1820 by Jean Bouton (a native of the Charente, France—the home of cognac). His family had supplied Napoleon I with his tipple, and with the recipe book in hand, he came to Bologna, founded the ideal Trebbiana grapes, and up the first distillery.

Originally called Bouton, it was renamed Vecchia Romagna in 1939 and is still made just outside Bologna in in San Lazzaro-Ozzano Emilia (Italy's 'brandy city') and sold in its distinctive rounded triangular bottles. It's excellent in a caffè corretto.

It comes in four versions: Classica, the smoother Etichetta Nera, the blue label Vecchia Romagna Riserva (aged 10 years) and Vecchia Romagna Riserva d'Oro (aged 15 years).