FIRST JOURNEYS - EUROPEAN EXPEDITION- PIN 21 OF 40
LUZ GIN - Lake Garda, Italy
A ROAD TRIP WHERE EVERY STOP HAS A STORY
Today I’m heading to Lake Garda—or as the Romans knew it, Benacus—Italy’s largest lake and one of the country’s most beautiful holiday destinations. Sitting between the Alps and the Po Valley, it benefits from a unique microclimate, with mountains sheltering the northern shores while Mediterranean plants flourish around the water’s edge.
Of course, with a lake this vast, there has to be a legend attached!
Lake Garda has its very own monster—Bennie. Much like Nessie in Scotland, sightings are debated, with experts suggesting possible explanations ranging from large Wels catfish to the mysterious-looking Adriatic sturgeon. The locals, however, remain rather more open-minded and many are happy to keep the legend alive.
The lake is also home to some genuinely unique wildlife, including the Carpione del Garda, a rare fish found nowhere else in the world. Once abundant, it is now critically endangered, making it one of the many species that depend on protecting this extraordinary ecosystem.
Don’t worry, this isn’t turning into a fish blog—we do have a gin connection!
Luz Gin has chosen one of the lake’s inhabitants for its label: the pike. Traditionally associated with honour, strength and wisdom, it reflects the character of a gin inspired by the landscape around Lake Garda.
The best place to discover Luz Gin is arguably at the Rivabar in Riva del Garda, where founder Leonardo Veronesi can tell the story first-hand over one of his beautifully crafted cocktails. Leo began experimenting with gin recipes in 2012, when the modern gin revival was gathering pace, and six years later the first bottles of Luz Gin were released in collaboration with Marzadro Distillery.
After discovering the history of Marzadro, it seems like the perfect partnership. The story begins after World War II, when Sabina Marzadro established the distillery in 1949 with her brother Attilio.
With determination and a desire to create something exceptional, she began producing grappa and experimenting with local herbs, roots and berries gathered from the surrounding mountains.
Sabina’s story is particularly remarkable. At a time when the spirits industry was overwhelmingly male dominated, she built a successful distillery from scratch, creating a legacy that continues today, with the Marzadro family still at the helm.
Luz Gin stays firmly connected to its surroundings. The botanicals are sourced from local small producers and the spirit is diluted with water from Monte Baldo, the mountain overlooking Lake Garda. Known as the “Garden of Europe”, Monte Baldo is famous for its extraordinary botanical diversity, with hundreds of plant species thriving thanks to the meeting of Alpine and Mediterranean climates. It’s this unique landscape that provides much of the inspiration behind Luz Gin.
The recipe includes juniper, olive leaves, bay leaves, rosemary, wild mint, lemon peel, sage, woodruff and clary sage—many of which reflect the flavours and aromas of the region, from the herbs growing on the mountain slopes to the citrus and olive trees around the lake. The result is a gin that genuinely captures the meeting point between mountains, water and Mediterranean sunshine.
The result is a beautifully clean, herbaceous gin with a fresh minty finish and enough structure to work brilliantly in cocktails.
A lake monster, mountain botanicals and a gin born between the water and the peaks.
Today’s serve is a White Negroni Sour, bringing together the alpine freshness of Luz with the bitter Italian elegance of Italicus.
White Negroni Sour
50ml Luz Gin
25ml Italicus
50ml Fino Sherry
Fresh lemon juice
Simple syrup
Foamer
Shake with ice and strain.
A gin inspired by the lake, shaped by the mountains and finished with a little bit of Italian magic.
"Show me a bottle and I’ll tell you a story."