How to Make Black Walnut Nocino

When I have questions on either ammunition technology or black walnuts, and I frequently do on both topics, I reach out to J.J. Reich. While extolling the latest and greatest in ammo advancements might be his job, black walnuts are his passion. He even goes by @Blackwalnutdaddy on Instagram.

We’ve covered how to collect, store, and use black walnuts with J.J. before, but this week he is back with another favorite black walnut topic: nocino. Here’s what he has to say about nocino and how he makes it. (I keep a small bottle of his excellent nocino on hand.) —Michael Pendley

NOCINO
by J.J. Reich

Black walnut nocino is an Italian liqueur made from small, immature (green) black walnuts harvested in early summer, months before their shells and hulls develop. The liqueur has a rich, complex flavor with earthy, fruity notes. It always surprises people with how delicious it is, and its unique flavor is one of the reasons why I love making a batch every year.

Black walnut nocino has a rich, earthy flavor. Image by JJ Reich

The process is straightforward, and with a little patience, you'll be able to enjoy your homemade black walnut nocino. You collect small amounts of fruit, wash it, cut it, let it sit in alcohol with other ingredients, add water and sugar, bottle it, and let it age. It's as simple as that.

To start, you must pick the green black walnuts off the tree while they are still fruit, meaning their hard shells haven’t formed. In Wisconsin, that’s typically from the end of June into early July. At this time, the walnuts generally are the size of a 25-cent coin. To verify that no shell structure has formed, use a robust sewing needle to stick through the fruit. You are good to go if no hard shell is blocking the needle.

Pick the fruits while they are immature and soft. Image by JJ Reich

You don’t need many black walnuts to make a batch of Nocino. Twelve nuts are enough to make a small batch. However, I typically collect several dozen if I make a double or triple batch.

You only need about a dozen walnuts for a single batch, but the recipe easily doubles or triples. Image by JJ Reich

Note that if summer activity schedules are too busy, you could collect the fruit at the right time, freeze it, and make the liqueur later in the year.

To prepare the fruit, wear gloves, as the green black walnuts will quickly turn black and stain your hands. Wash and rinse them well with a brush and warm water. Using a sharp knife, quarter the green walnuts.

Quarter the soft walnuts. Image by JJ Reich

Place them in a large, clean glass jar with a tight-fitting lid.

Traditional recipes call for strong grain alcohol or high-proof vodka. I have tried both, and each turned out well. However, inexpensive whiskey is my favorite alcohol to use for making Nocino. When ready, it doesn’t taste like whiskey but like a smooth and delicious liqueur. Cover the walnuts with the liquor of your choice.

Place the quartered walnuts in a large jar and cover with your liquor of choice. Image by JJ Reich

Pour alcohol over the walnuts in the jar. Seal the jar tightly and store it in a cool, dark place for 40 days, gently shaking it every few days to agitate the contents. The mixture turns to a stunning black color, which makes the liqueur unique and intriguing.

The mixture will quickly turn black as it ages. Image by JJ Reich

Adding flavoring, such as lemon or orange peels, cinnamon sticks, coffee beans, and vanilla beans, is optional. Spices such as allspice, cardamom, star anise, cloves, and others can add extra flavor complexity, too. You can certainly experiment with other ideas for extra flavoring.

I like to keep it simple, so the black walnut is the star. Just the whiskey or vodka and black walnuts are enough for me. However, I do like adding a small amount of vanilla extract, cardamom, and coffee beans to mine, so I feel like I am doing more.

After the 40-day maceration period, you’ll need to prepare the syrup. Combine the water and sugar in a saucepan. Heat the mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar has completely dissolved. Remove the syrup from the heat and let it cool to room temperature. Once the syrup has cooled, strain the alcohol from the walnuts and other ingredients through a fine-mesh sieve. Then strain again using cheesecloth or coffee filters into a clean bowl. Discard all the solids. Add the cooled syrup to the strained alcohol and mix well so the mixture is balanced and consistent throughout.

Sweeten the nocino after aging and before bottling. Image by JJ Reich

The next step is to bottle it. Using a funnel, pour the nocino into clean, sterilized glass bottles with airtight caps.

The nocino then needs to age. Store the jar in a cool, dark place for an extended period to allow the flavors to meld and mature. Let it age for at least a few months to allow the flavors to develop further. The longer it ages, the smoother and more complex the flavor will become.

Note that this unique and flavorful liqueur tastes much better if it ages for a year compared to just three months. And it tastes even better when aged two or three years. I have some aged up to four years, and it is incredible. If you make it every year for many years, you will likely always have a batch of well-aged nocino on hand.

Serve the nocino chilled as an after-dinner drink or nightcap. It can also be used in cocktails and desserts. Enjoy!

Traditional Ingredients:

• 12-15 green black walnuts, washed and quartered
• 2 cups (475 ml) 95% grain alcohol (such as Everclear) or high-proof vodka
• 2 cups (475 ml) water
• 1½ cups (300 g) granulated sugar
• Peel of 1 organic lemon, peeled into wide strips
• Peel of 1 organic orange, peeled into wide strips
• 3 whole cloves
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 vanilla bean split lengthwise
• Optional: Additional spices such as star anise, allspice, or cardamom

Author’s Version:

• 36-42 green black walnuts, washed and quartered
• 1.75 liters inexpensive vodka or whiskey
• 1.75 liters sugar water made using a ratio of ¼ cup of white sugar to 1 cup of water for whiskey base or 3/4 cup of sugar to 1 cup of water for vodka or grain alcohol base
• 1 teaspoon cardamom
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 9 coffee beans
• 6 whole cloves