The Poli brandy born from fire and time • Food and Wine Italia

After the years durante which the spotlight of the spirits market was focused elsewhere – acceso gin first and foremost – Italian brandy is once again making headlines. The Athanor project, the new brandy from Poli Distillerie (premiered at Vinitaly 2026), bets acceso this renaissance.

Athanor is made from Trebbiano wine and is distilled with the bain-marie still that gives the product its name, before a long refinement durante oak. It is a blend of two brandies aged for 3 and 15 years respectively, placed by the company durante the premium segment (and distributed by Meregalli Spirits).

A name inspired by alchemy

The name recalls an ancient instrument: the athanor was the furnace durante which the alchemist distilled the matter. It is not a random choice – explains Jacopo Poli – because «even the word ‘brandy’ derives from the Dutch brandewijn, ora ‘burnt wine’. Per mezzo di Athanor, fire is not just a technical element of distillation, but becomes the very symbol of the transformation that leads the wine to become a great distillate.”

Trebbiano – a variety indicated as ideal for brandy thanks to its delicate and balanced profile – is processed with a bain-marie still which allows for a slow and accurate extraction of the noblest aromas. The maturation then takes place durante the attic of the distillery, where temperature variations favor the interaction between distillate and wood. «The result brings a balance between freshness, structure and aromatic depth which demonstrates how this category still has a lot to express», summarizes Poli.

It is a soft brandy, with a bouquet of sweet aromas ranging from plum durante syrup to bitter cocoa, with sensations of vanilla, dried fruit and delicate honey.

A category being rediscovered

Athanor’s presentation fits, durante Poli’s reading, into a favorable moment for the category. «Brandy is going through a phase of rediscovery, driven by consumers who are looking for authentic products with a strong identity», comments the Venetian distiller. «After years durante which attention was focused acceso other categories of spirits, today there is growing interest durante products that tell a story made of raw materials, technique and time. Characteristics that brandy possesses by definition, because it comes from wine, requires long maturation periods and offers an aromatic complexity that rewards conscious tasting.”

Hence the belief durante its potential, “especially if it is told for what it really is: one of the most fascinating and complex spirits to make”. And then it claims the roots of a product «which tells the story of an entirely Italian supply chain that starts from wine and arrives at a spirit of great elegance, which must clearly stand out for its premium positioning that goes beyond the simple end of a meal». And even when mixed, it can stand comparison with the great classics, such as Boulevardier, ora with signature twists such as French Connection.