Select Aperitivo

Select was created in 1920 in the Castello district of Venice, as people were starting to go out again and rediscover life’s pleasures after the turmoil of World War I. Enjoying an aperitivo with friends became a fashionable pastime throughout the city of Venice, and Select Aperitivo was set to play the starring role in this new trend.

Seeing an opportunity, the young Pilla brothers put their distillery their skills in the art of liquor production and to work, creating Select Aperitivo. Select is made by blending 30 botanicals including juniper berries and rhubarb roots that contribute to creating a sophisticated bittersweet flavour.

When the popularity of the aperitif began to spread, the Spritz soon became a favourite, establishing Select as the star of the Venetian cocktail scene. Today Select is enjoyed in more than 50 countries as the main ingredient of the original Venetian Spritz.

Almost a century has passed, but today, Select is still known as the true icon of the Venetian aperitif: a unique bitter that is served at the iconic bars in the Lagoon and by bartenders around the world, eager to offer something unique and special.

Select owes its rich, complex taste to 30 botanicals, including rhubarb roots and juniper berries. The same artisanal processing methods are used today as in 1920, guaranteeing a product of the highest quality and excellence.

First, the rhubarb roots are carefully processed and individually macerated, which gives Select its intense bitter taste.

The juniper berries are macerated to extract their fresh, resinous notes, adding structure and a counterbalance to the bitterness.

Next, the botanicals are slowly macerated in a mixture of alcohol and water, then boiled to extract their true essence.

The juniper berries are distilled in an alembic pot still, using artisanal methods to obtain the most aromatic part of the fruit.

Select Aperitivo is characterized by a sophisticated aromatic profile and well-balanced bittersweet taste.