When it comes to spirits backed by celebrities, we typically have pretty low expectations. Great spirits don’t often come out of vanity companies that rely on the notoriety of the celebrity, more than what’s in the bottle, to sell. It’s a lot like bacon vodka – people will buy it because of the notoriety and be very forgiving about the quality (or lack thereof). Good brand marketing and interesting bottles sell (just look at Dan Aykroyd’s Crystal Head Vodka, which pushes both celebrity brand AND bottle design to sell).
Danny DeVito’s Premium Limoncello Original is a notable exception to the general mediocrity of this category. There’s no doubt that Danny DeVito is using his star power to move this spirit, but in this case it’s clearly more about what’s in the bottle than the celebrity signature on the front of it.
One of the things we really love about Danny DeVito’s Limoncello is the fact that it isn’t vodka or tequila. Many celebrities put out products in categories which are already flooded. There really aren’t a ton of limoncellos on the market in the US, despite the fact that it’s a very popular Italian drink. Also, DeVito’s Limoncello is actually made in Italy (Sorrento) from Sorrento lemons.
Bottled at 60 proof, Danny DiVito’s Limoncello has a bright sweet lemon nose that smells like a freshly cut lemon. The color is pale cloudy yellow and looks like lemon juice. The taste is thick and syrupy (in a good way) with very sweet lemon and sugar notes. There’s just the slightest bit of heat but it quickly dissipates and the finish is long and sweet.
Enjoyed straight (or over a little ice), this limoncello makes a perfect, refreshing and tasty dessert spirit. Because you don’t get a ton of heat from the alcohol, and it’s so deliciously sweet, it could be very easy for the effects of this spirit to sneak up on you.
While the tall sleek bottle is pretty unassuming, there is one amusing aspect to it: the lemon logo on the front of the bottle is a scratch-and-sniff that smells like lemons. It’s a cute touch.
Initially we raised our eyebrows when we heard about Dany DeVito’s Limoncello, but we feel, even without his name on the bottle, this affable liqueur would sell well on its own. At $25 a bottle, it’s an extremely tasty and enjoyable treat.
Highly Recommended
