Certosa Spirits Festival, A Sudden Success At The First Edition

Thousands of visitors and approximately 40 companies filled the Certosa di San Lorenzo in Padula, in the province of Salerno, for three days, making the event a milestone in the Campania liqueur scene.

### The Organization and Support

The festival was organized by Monaci Digitali and funded by Gal Vallo di Diano. The event brought together producers, professionals, and enthusiasts from the food and beverage sector, emphasizing sharing and professional growth. Angela D'Alto, president of Gal Vallo di Diano, emphasized the bold decision to focus on a broad, cross-cutting event, rather than small, unrelated events. This approach has proven successful, confirming the importance of events that best represent the region and its excellence.

### Workshops and Networking Opportunities

The Certosa Spirits Festival offered numerous networking and educational opportunities, including workshops and masterclasses. Among these, the "Vallo a Bere" workshop, curated by Orme Sharing & Research, saw the active participation of bartenders, industry professionals, designers, and creatives. Led by Vincenzo Pagliara, winner of the 2022 Bartender of the Year title, participants explored the Valley of Orchids and then created a drinks list that reflected the region.

### Social Inclusion and Promotion

The festival wasn't just about spirits; it also placed a strong emphasis on social inclusion. Among the participants were the young people from Bottega dei Semplici Pensieri, which focuses on training and job placement for people with Down syndrome and intellectual disabilities. Supported by the Insieme Siamo associations and the Il Sentiero Social Cooperative, they contributed to the "Solidarity Toast."

### Competitions and Awards

A highlight of the festival was the "Certosa Spirits Cup," a mixology competition featuring 12 professional bartenders. Domenico Sorrentino of Pomezia triumphed, followed by Andrea Mango and Gerardo Perrone. The final day of the festival saw several awards presented, including prizes for the Gal Vallo di Diano and for Edoardo Schiazza, founder of Amaroteca. Nicola Di Novella also received an award for his commitment to promoting the endemic plants of the Vallo di Diano.

### Producer Awards

Among the various producers present, the "Best Story" award went to "Sapori & Saperi and AIAS Sezione Cetraro (CS) Onlus" with its Amaro 30 Nodi. In the "Creativity & Design" category, "Passaré Antico Molise" stood out for its combination of distillation and fashion design. Finally, "Cilento, i sapori della terra" received recognition for its corporate philosophy focused on promoting the Cilento region.

### Conclusions

The Certosa Spirits Festival has established itself as an event of great importance, capable of combining territorial excellence, social inclusion and innovative collaborations. A triumph that promises to grow even more in the next editions, further enriching the cultural and entrepreneurial panorama of Campania.

“We worked to unite the needs of all the souls of this event: producers, experts, professionals in the sector and simple enthusiasts. Sectoralization, multidisciplinarity and moments of popular entertainment were the key to creating the ideal habitat for business opportunities, training and dissemination”, commented Gianluca Vegliante, organizer of the event and representative of Monaci Digitali. “The results encourage us to continue in this direction. Our goal is to make this territory grow and create a community made up of people proud of their roots”, concluded Vegliante.