Lucano Amaro Liqueur Lucano

Origins :
Amaro Lucano was invented in Pisticci. a little village in Lucania, in the province of Matera. In the back room of his biscuit factory Pasquale Vena perfected an ideal blend of herbs with a balanced but firm flavour. An unmistakable flavour with its citrusy and floral notes. Some years later, the amazing success of the recipe, took the sublime liqueur beyond the Lucania borders. This Amaro became well known and appreciated throughout Italy, becoming the official supplier to the Casa Savioa, the House of Savoy. The King liked it so much that he conferred Pasquale Vena with the title of Cavaliere, the equivalent of a knighthood in Italian honorifics.

This lucky debut, followed by a great period of positive growth, suffered a setback with the outbreak of WW II which caused a drop on production due to the scarcity of raw materials. In spite of these difficulties AL still continued to grow and spread.

The 50s :
After WW II there was a clear recovery especially when Pasquale’s sons Leonardo and Giuseppe joined the family business. Thanks to their work and dedication, the traditional laboratory became a little industrial reality. Production reached a record peak with 3,000 bottles of Amaro in just one year.

The 60s and 70s :
In 1965 the company moved from Pisticci, located in the hills of Basilicata, to Pisticci Scalo. It was here where the new factory was inaugurated which allowed them to boost production to a record 117,000 litres in the same year.

From the second half of the ’60s onwards sales soared thanks to investment in a large local advertising campaign that boosted the fame of Amaro Lucano transforming it from a local product into a worldwide appreciated liqueur.

During the ’70s growth allowed the company to increase their product portfolio by adding Sambuca, Limoncello and Caffè to the Amaro Lucano range.

The 80s and 90s :
From the first half of the ’80s a nationwide television advertising campaign was launched which allowed Lucano to consolidate its position in Italy. During that period they created the slogan which brought them international and timeless renown: “What more could you want from life? A Lucano!”

From 2000 to the present day :
The company has been going from strength to strength by maintaining high quality levels which have lead to the conquest of other markets. Today Pasquale Vena, the founder’s grandson, his wife Rosistella and their three children Leonardo, Francesco and Letizia all work with the same passion and dedication of their predecessors and remain true to the values that the company was founded on. These values have been passed down from generation to generation and form the basis of the success of Amaro Lucano around the world.