EXTRA Juniper Berries production: the Casalvento quality that lends a unique Tuscan character to many London Dry Gin brands. Casalvento harvests Juniperus Communis berries every year from its own specialized, certified organic crops. Harvesting is done exclusively by hand, beginning in the second half of August and concluding at the end of November. After harvesting, […]
Know the Helichrysum absolute (Immortelle): some details about our production. A plant widespread throughout the Mediterranean. Professor Appendino once described it in a publication as the “sleeping giant of the Mediterranean” due to its therapeutic properties. Effective both in vitro and in vivo against inflammatory processes. Consequently its extracts are used to modulate immune responses […]
To know oakmoss absolute is to know the life of the forest. Sunbeams filtering through the leaves, sounds breaking the silence, the scent of damp earth, and a breath of cold air that fills you with energy. The forest is magical when it stirs your imagination and awakens your senses. Sensations that stir the imagination […]
Let’s explore how cistus absolute is produced at the Casalvento laboratories and compare the process with other methods. Cistus Ladaniferus (or Rock Rose) is a plant we’ve been fond of for at least 2,000 years. Its natural habitat is Spain and Portugal; here in Tuscany, it’s only found in specialized cultivation: it prefers acidic, sunny soils. […]
Industrial-scale production of Damask Rose absolute began in Bulgaria in the 1950s. In 1955, Bulgaria produced 435 kg of essential oil (rose otto) and 316 kg of concrete, which was very rich in absolute. But let’s dig deeper: of the over 6,000 rose varieties, only a very few are used in perfumery. Some have a […]
Chlorophyll synthesis is the chemical reaction by which gas and water become matter. The quintessential “green” process: decarbonization and oxygen production using a few molecules of (pure) water and a little sunlight. It all happens inside tiny organelles called chloroplasts, found in plant cells (and something similar exists in some bacteria). Biochemistry tells us that […]
Broom absolute originates in Tuscany. In the Chianti region, broom flowers bloom between May and the end of June. For Casalvento, this is an exceptional harvest of these flowers, which we have certified organic. Harvesting is exclusively manual, favoring the most fragrant Spartium Junceum plants. The best balsamic moment is in the early afternoon when […]
Today, the enfleurage technique is neither current nor economically viable. Let me explain why. Preparing the wooden and glass frames on which to spread the animal fat was complicated, but preparing the fat itself was incredibly more arduous. The processing of these fats was explained to me well by the heirs of the Morelli family, […]
The beverage world is constantly evolving and seeking ingredients for soft drinks that impart aroma and flavor to a category increasingly in demand among young consumers. The beverage market follows two opposing trends: enriching spirits with perfume and enriching soft drinks with taste. They are apparently two very different markets but they need the same […]
At the Casalvento Laboratories we have a custom production of absolute and concretes adjacent to the Casalvento distillery. Absolutes are highly concentrated aromatic extracts obtained through solvent extraction. Completely different from an essential oil, they have a much deeper and more natural aromatic profile. Simply put: the botanical is macerated in the extraction solvent, which […]
