What Italian liqueur is made from lemon peel and often served chilled?

The Italian liqueur made from lemon peel and often served chilled is limoncello. It is traditionally produced by steeping the zest of lemons in high-proof neutral spirit, then blending the infusion with sugar syrup and water.

Limoncello is strongly associated with southern Italy, especially the Amalfi Coast, the Sorrento Peninsula, the Gulf of Naples, Sicily, and Gargano. Traditional recipes may use fragrant local lemons such as Sorrento or sfusato lemons. The peel is carefully removed without much white pith, whose bitterness can affect the finished drink.

Its slightly cloudy yellow appearance comes from tiny droplets of lemon essential oil suspended in the sweetened alcohol. The drink is usually served very cold as an after-dinner digestif, often in a small glass. It is not the same as a lemon-flavored cocktail or lemon vodka: classic limoncello gets its flavor mainly from zest, not lemon juice.

The drink’s exact origin is disputed. Several families, towns, and coastal communities claim to have created it, while stories variously place its beginnings with household cooks, citrus growers, fishermen, or monks.