Episode Overview
Can a six-generation cello recipe hold up to modern Italian fine dining? In the Season 02 premiere of From Bottle to Bar, Dino visits Noble Cut Distillery to find out.
Named after the highest-quality portion of a distillation run that old-school moonshiners reserved for personal stash, Noble Cut Distillery turns simple, raw ingredients into vibrant, high-proof perfection.
Dino tastes their signature 80-proof Limoncello—a drink so bright he notes it makes you move whatever’s in the way of your day—before sampling a 90-proof bourbon blend whose custardy finish inspires an unforgettable Greek dessert mnemonic. After a pinball battle on a vintage Batman machine, the crew heads over to Z Cucina. Over a festive Basil Gin Smash and neat pours of Orange and Grapefruit Cello, Dino discovers how local craft spirits help elevate neighborhood dining from standard to standout.
Episode Features
Noble Cut Distillery was founded in 2015 in Gahanna, Ohio, a suburb of Columbus, Ohio. The distillery was started with the idea to bring true handcrafted spirits to the Ohio liquor market.
Noble Cut derives its name from a process in the distilling of grains where a distiller makes “cuts” to separate unwanted alcohol from the final batch. The hearts cut, also called the ‘Noble Cut’ is the most desired cut by distillers. The noble cut is the only spirit from distillation that is used in any Noble Cut product.
At Z Cucina di Spirito, you will enter a world of traditional and modern Italian cuisine that also moves with ease into the realm of Mediterranean flavors. The unique and comfortable bar and dining area is warm and inviting. Z Cucina’s menu offers flavorful and well seasoned small plates, salads and main courses.
Learn the Build
Featured Cocktail
The Basil Gin Smash
The Basil Gin Smash A vibrant, herbaceous cocktail that pairs botanical gin with the bright, citrusy punch of handcrafted orange cello. Built around Noble Cut’s signature Orange Cello, this drink blends fresh slapped basil with crisp gin and tart lemon juice to deliver a cocktail that is, as Dino puts it, “almost too pretty to drink.” Light, refreshing, and perfectly balanced, it’s an elevated twist on traditional summer sours.
0.75 oz Noble Cut Orange Cello
1.5 oz Botanical Gin
0.75 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
5-6 Fresh Basil Leaves
Garnish: Slapped Basil Sprig & Lemon Wheel