DE KUYPER AND SALVATORE CALABRESE LAUNCH “ACQUA BIANCA”, THE NEXT PREMIUM LIQUEUR MADE BY TOP BARTENDERS FOR BARTENDERS

“Acqua Bianca” stands out with its unique flavour of citrus, floral & freshness paired with the essence of ambergris traditionally used in perfumery

Schiedam, October 2019. De Kuyper Royal Distillers, recently named Liqueur Producer of the Year at this year’s ISC, continues its new signature edition of liqueurs made by top bartenders for bartenders worldwide. “Acqua Bianca,” created by Salvatore Calabrese, one of the world’s leading bartenders, is one of the most aromatic liqueurs available on the market. Known to many as “The Maestro,” Calabrese used only the finest natural ingredients such as lemon, bergamot, peppermint and rose bound with essence of ambergris, traditionally used in perfumery. In collaboration with De Kuyper and its over 320 years of distilling expertise, the Italian bar legend created a unique liqueur with an aroma and depth of flavour unlike any other. By introducing the signature edition co-created with top bartenders De Kuyper aims to innovate and revolutionise the liqueur category. “Acqua Bianca” was presented to the public for the first time at this year’s Bar Convent Berlin and will be available in the UK market from end of November. Further markets will follow.

A fragrance equal to the most refined perfume “Acqua Bianca” is a liqueur with a unique historical provenance re-imagined from a recipe in a late 1800s book. Calabrese re-worked the antique recipe using only the best ingredients from land and sea: three types of citrus and ambergris. One type of citrus comes from Calabrese’s home, the Amalfi Coast, famous for the best lemons, another is bergamot from Calabria, where his family came from, and the third is cidron, one of the oldest varieties of citrus with ist origins in Asia. While ambergris is known for its role in perfumery to intensify the fragrance and make it last longer, using it in liqueurs is a new and unique practice. Calabrese transferred the idea into the spirits world, giving his liqueur a more intense taste. Together with De Kuyper’s Master Distillers the legendary Italian mixologist composed a

fragrance that is equal to the most refined perfume fresh with citrus and mint with a gentle sweet and floral note of rose. Unlike other liqueurs that are often too sweet and sometimes even sticky in aftertaste, “Acqua Bianca” gently disappears due to the fine balance of its ingredients. “My idea was to create something totally unusual that does not exist in the market, something very versatile, a liqueur to inspire new cocktails, a liqueur that is able to take the centre stage of any cocktail creation,” Calabrese explains. “Thanks to the superb expertise of De Kuyper’s Master Blender we were able to transform my idea into this masterpiece.”

Bringing together strength and expertise from both parties As the owner of the world’s largest premium cocktail liqueur brand and holding some of the most renowned liqueurs such as Mandarine Napoléon, Cherry Heering and Peachtree, De Kuyper is the worldwide market leader in liqueurs operating in over 100 markets. Following the global corporate vision to Own the Cocktail, the Dutch family company shares a passion for high-quality ingredients and excellent cocktails with bartenders across the world. To bring together the strength and expertise of both sides, De Kuyper initiated a signature edition of liqueurs made in collaboration with top bartenders. The first liqueurs of this signature edition, “Muyu,” created by Alex Kratena, Monica Berg and Simone Caporale, fast sold out in UK and will now be launched in further countries. “The co-creation of liqueurs with leading bartenders is a key pillar of our global strategy and an important part of how we want to innovate and lead and premiumise the liqueur category,“ explains Mark de Witte, CEO of De Kuyper Royal Distillers. As a next step De Kuyper is launching “Acqua Bianca” with “The Maestro”. De Kuyper and Salvatore Calabrese share a longstanding friendship on a business as well as on a personal level. “De Kuyper Liqueurs have always had a place behind my bar as they are of great quality due to De Kuyper’s designated expertise. It is my pleasure to contribute to this powerful signature edition and I am grateful for the trust in me,” Calabrese comments. “We are very proud of this high point of our longtime friendship with Salvatore Calabrese and we are convinced, that ‘Acqua Bianca’ will revolutionise the liqueurs category,“ says Mark de Witte.

A sensory experience in every way Reflecting the sensory journey through smell and taste the bottle design of “Acqua Bianca” is a sensory experience of touch and sight. It resembles a book with the label – not on the front but on the narrower side of the bottle – looking like the spine of a book with the name running vertically down it. On the opposite side, now the back of the bottle, custom moulding has been added to replicate the pages of a book. The colours represent the fresh and floral notes

of the liqueur. The sides of the bottle now recognised as the front and the back of the bottle, make it possible to use the bottle in a unique way and create an elegant silhouette. Francesca Calabrese, Salvatore’s daughter, and her design agency Five Foot Eight (www.fivefooteightdesign.com) created an “Acqua Bianca” bottle design that wins you over with its stylish and timeless shape, retaining boldness and intriguing in its simplicity.

Unlike other liqueurs “Acqua Bianca” holds both dark and white spirits thanks to its versatility. “Acqua Bianca” can be enjoyed either chilled over ice, neat from the freezer or at the centre of a cocktail. Salvatore Calabrese recommends one of his favourite after dinner drinks, a classic Stinger, mixed with “Acqua Bianca”.

Editor’s Notes • “Acqua Bianca,” 24% ABV • O.5 l bottle • Available from end of November 2019 in the UK via Cellar Trends

About Salvatore Calabrese Salvatore Calabrese, The Maestro, has been making drinks for more than 40 years. From his beginnings on the Amalfi Coast in Italy, where he made his first cocktail aged just 12, to a succession of top hotel bars, private members clubs and exclusive cocktail bars around the world. As one of the world’s most well known and respected bartenders, The Maestro has created drinks now famous all over the globe – including his renowned Breakfast Martini. He worked in such famous bars as Dukes Hotel and Lanesborough Hotel before running his own bar at the Fifty St James club, and then Salvatore’s at Playboy in London. Salvatore’s latest venture is The Donovan Bar at Brown’s Hotel in London’ s Mayfair, launching on 19th April 2018.Today Salvatore is busy on the global stage as a consultant for select brands, as well as appearing at competitions as a judge. The Maestro Challenge, Salvatore’s very own national Bartending Competition is now in its fifth year. He lives in London with his wife and has three children and two grandsons. https://salvatore-calabrese.co.uk/

About De Kuyper Royal Distillers De Kuyper Royal Distillers is a family-owned liqueur and premium botanical-based spirits company founded in 1695 by Petrus De Kuyper. The company, headquartered in Schiedam near Rotterdam (NL), owns the global market-leading brand in cocktail liqueurs and is both the owner and the producer of a number of world-famous liqueurs such as Peachtree, Cherry Heering, Mandarine Napoléon and the botanical-based spirits of the Rutte international range. Mark de Witte is the company’s global CEO. https://www.dekuyper.com/

Media contact De Kuyper Royal Distillers: Yvonne Naber, Global PR, ynaber@dekuyper.nl