Delicious Sparkling Temperance Drinks

Abbondio Menta

Italy

Abbondio Menta

200 mL bottle

3.40 g sugar / oz.

 

History

Abbondio is one of the oldest soda brands in Italy. Angelo Abbondio's soft drink factory opened in 1889 in the small city of Tortona, midway between Milan and Genoa. The first flavor introduced was "Gassosa Bianca" or White, a lightly lemon flavored soda.

Other flavors were added to the lineup over time, such as "Gassosa Rossa" (originally called "Americano") and Chinotto. "Gassosa Verde", now known as Abbondio Menta, was introduced in 1958.

After Angelo's death in 1900, his wife Carolina Grassi, and later son Domenico, continued the business. In 1907 the brand received the honor of a gold medal at a national labor exposition. Over time the company was able to expand, but distribution remained limited to local customers only. In 1972 Domenico's children Angelo and Carla Abbondio inherited the family business.

From the beginning the company sold its drinks in Codd stopper bottles sealed with a marble, which were still used until some time in the 1950s or 60s, a providing a fond memory of these curious soda bottles for generations of children. In 2006 the company produced a nostalgic re-issue of its sodas in Codd stopper bottles.

In 1997 the entrepreneur brothers Federicoand Andrea Devecchi purchased the company from the Abbondio family. The new owners invested in new bottling equipment and increased distribution dramatically to national and international outlets. New bottle designs featuring retro pin-up models for each flavor were an international hit.

In 2012 the conglomerate Eurofood purchased Abbondio.

Review

Wow, this has an electric green color. I feel like a mint drink ought to have a strong mint smell, but this is only a light aroma. It's not a toothpaste! But lets see how it tastes...

There's not much carbonation, just a cool and minty drink. Sweet with a light mint flavor and something that cools and numbs my tongue, a touch of camphor? It feels like its evaporating off my tongue and going up through my nose.

I was expecting a more lively flavor. This is cool and minty but the sweetness is a bit gooey so its not as refreshing as you might expect a mint drink to be, like a peppy breath mint. It feels a bit weird to swallow rather than rinse my mouth and spit it out but the sugary taste is a reassurance that this drink is bad for my teeth rather than cleaning them.

fizz 1

refreshment 2

score 2

sweetness 4

flavor 2

Ingredients

Carbonated water, sugar, citric acid, natural flavor, FD&C Blue #1, FD&C Yellow #5.

Made by

Abbondio SpA
Via Cavalieri di Vittorio Veneto, 1
Tortona, Italy