Our Story




An old legend says that in the years between 1312 and 1405 in an old village on a ridge above the valley of Trainiti creek, full of caves and small rivers that operated the mechanisms of old mills and oil mills, Don Lino and Don Totò lived, two Millers who were called “Casalvecchjioti” in the Calabrian dialect.
 
It is said that the two were seasoned herbalists who gathered them in the most difficult and inaccessible areas around the place and secretly made a spirit drink made from various herbal medicines and used for its eupeptic properties.
 
The “Casalvecchjioti” wrote the recipe on a parchment that they kept in one of the hundreds of caves in the valley, and for years illegally marketed their product throughout the valley.
 
According to legend, Petru, Micu, Luzzu, Roccu and Gatanuzzu, five good-natured robbers who hid in the caves of the valley, found the parchment with the recipe for the preparation of the drink in 1815 after about five centuries.
 
The 5 robbers took it for 5 long years, from Calabria via Lucania to Sicily, without paying great attention to the recipe from the two millers.
 
One evening the 5 robbers crossed the path of the monastery of San Leoluca, passed a tavern called “l’Ostaria da Zia Concetta” and saw a “frasca” (olive branch) in front of the door, which means that the new wine was decanted and served to the guests.
 
The 5 robbers ate and drank and when it was time to pay the bill, the landlady of the tavern waived it for them. As a thank you, they gave the lady the parchment with the recipe, who later started making the Amaro.