Mirto is a traditional, herbal Sardinian liqueur made from the small blue-black berries of the myrtle tree. Although myrtle berries are edible, they are rarely eaten and are more often than not turned into this tasty digestif.
Myrtle trees are native to the Mediterranean and are beautiful, compact evergreens that usually come in the shape of a tree or a shrub. Follow our Mirto Recipe and find out how to make mirto liqueur with your own homegrown berries.
How to Make Mirto Liqueur
What you’ll need:
- 1.5kg myrtle berries
- 1L of vodka or grain spirit
- 1.5kg sugar (or to taste)
- 1L of water
Method:
- Place myrtle berries into a large, sterilised container that can be sealed tightly.
- Cover berries with the alcohol of your choosing.
- Allow to steep for upto 45 days (depending on the strength of the flavour, berries can be steeped anywhere between 15-45 days)
- Once the berries have infused, strain the mixture through a cloth squeezing as much juice out as possible.
- Mix the sugar and water in a large pan and heat gently on the hob without boiling. Once heated and all the sugar is dissolved, leave to one side to cool.. (Use less sugar and water for a more alcoholic flavour.)
- Mix the sugar water mixture in with the mirto infused alcohol and allow it to sit for a further 30 days.
- Sieve anymore leftover solids from the mixture and place your finished Mirto into sterilised bottles.
- Pour yourself a glass and enjoy as an after dinner treat!
And there you have it, homemade mirto for any occasion! We’d love to know if you try out this recipe so post your attempts on social media and be sure to tag us. If you want to know how to get the most out of your myrtle tree then be sure to check out our Myrtle Tree Care Guide.
If you know someone who’d love to try their hand at making mirto then why not send them their very own Myrtle Tree Gift from our range. A unique and lasting gift alternative for a wide variety of occasions including birthdays, anniversaries and many more.
