DEALP, Alpine Herbal Distillery

How many times while driving along the military road in the direction of the upper valley, in Traduerivi, on the outskirts of Susa, have you seen the Dealp sign, and perhaps wondered what it meant? Dealp stands for Distilleria Erboristica Alpina (Alpine Herbal Distillery), and one only has to cross the threshold of the laboratory to realize that the three words are right at home here. It distills, the herbs are herbs and not fake flavors, and all the specialties breathe with "alpinity."

A fantastic world opens up here, where the timing of maceration and infusion is respected. Where no attempt is made to anticipate production, because the finished product is what dictates the timing. And so the barriques make a fine show, but above all they cadence the maturation times of the barricato. And even the latest addition, Genepy barricato, to give that full-bodied taste and smell, has to spend all the necessary months in there. No ploys are used here to speed things up. Respect for nature and its herbs is almost sacred.

The distillery's production is varied and full of prestigious brands: Granger Genepy Nature, Grandpa's Grappa, Gianduiotto, Turin Chocolat, S.S. 24 and Chaberton.

Above all, however, each product has a deep connection with the territory: Genepy has been part of the popular tradition for centuries and is a bit of the company's workhorse, being the liqueur from which production was started, in the late 1970s. Along the way, then, many others were added: liqueurs, gin, bitters, grappas, bitters, delicacies enriched with chocolate and hazelnuts, and even different formats, including pocket flasks.

To the delight of skiers, Bombardino is produced and bottled, while those who appreciate coffee will not be able to do without the Tiramisu liqueur. To end the meal with a bitter worthy of the name, a must try the "Sensa Sucher," totally sugar-free and made with 40 different herbs and spices.

Then one cannot help but mention the S.S.24 brand: bitters, gin and alpine bitters that owe their name to the state highway of the same name that the company overlooks. A thoroughfare, but also a link between Turin and the mountains.

What can we say then about grappa: pronounced the magic word a world opens up, fascinating and varied as are the tastes of consumers: more or less dry, more or less strong, single varietal and so on. Grappa that is now not only known throughout Italy, but with the brand name "Grappa del Nonno" is taking the made in Valsusa to all continents.

Instead, it bears the name of Turin and chocolate, but it is a boundless delight, the Turin Chocolat, which is made here from real cocoa, chicken eggs and cow's milk: all fresh, where, again, processing times are dictated by freshness and you can't do otherwise. The result is a "bicerin" where everything is dosed just right and where harmony is the trademark.

But there are a thousand other surprises at this distillery, such as the syrups that in summer are a panacea for the heatwave, see the mint that is real mint. Otherwise we would not be at the Alpine Herbal Distillery.