From Sparrow’s liqueur list, the Letterpress Nocino is one of our favorite local sippers, a Seattle take on a classic Italian after-dinner walnut liqueur ($12 by the pour, or $18 for a larger pour).
About Letterpress Nocino
Letterpress Distilling is a small craft distillery in Seattle’s SoDo neighborhood that specializes in domestic Italian-style liqueurs. Their Nocino is built around the green, underripe walnut, harvested while it is still soft. At that early stage the walnut is nutty, vegetal, herbal, and tannic all at once. Following the distillery’s minimal-intervention philosophy, the recipe uses just three ingredients: green walnut, Seville orange peel, and light brown sugar, so the walnut itself stays front and center. Nocino has deep roots as a traditional Italian digestivo, and it is a treat to find a thoughtfully made version produced right here in the Pacific Northwest.
Tasting Notes
Nocino is dark and rich, with the green walnut giving it a nutty, herbal, faintly bitter character balanced by gentle sweetness. Expect vegetal and herbal layers, a little orange lift from the Seville peel, and a smooth, warming finish. It drinks like a grown-up after-dinner treat rather than anything cloying.
What to Pair It With
This is a natural nightcap. Sip it neat or over a large cube after dinner in our 21+ lounge. It is lovely alongside something from the Sparrow dinner menu like the Truffle Deviled Eggs to start, or as a digestif after the American Wagyu steaks. It also plays beautifully with coffee or a square of dark chocolate.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Letterpress Nocino made from?
It is a walnut liqueur made by Letterpress Distilling in Seattle from just three ingredients: locally harvested green walnuts, Seville orange peel, and light brown sugar.
How much is a pour of Letterpress Nocino at Sparrow in Kirkland?
Letterpress Nocino is $12 by the pour, or $18 for a larger pour, at Sparrow in Kirkland’s Juanita neighborhood.
Find it on the Sparrow beverages menu near the Mr Black Coffee Liqueur and the Mirto di Sardegna. We are on the Eastside in Kirkland’s Juanita neighborhood, so reserve a table and come sip it.