The Nimble Vintner's tangelo liqueur: the happy accident that started it all, and five delicious ways to enjoy it.
Everyone loves a limoncello. That little ice-cold glass at the end of a meal — golden, fragrant, the perfect full stop on a long, happy dinner. It's one of those drinks that just makes you feel like everything is right with the world.
I love limoncello. But I've always thought — what if you could take that concept and make it even more interesting? More layered. More complex.
Enter the tangelo. And enter Tancello.
What on earth is a tangelo?
This is where it gets genuinely exciting. A tangelo isn't just another citrus fruit sitting quietly on the shelf next to the mandarins. It's a natural hybrid — a cross between a tangerine (or mandarin) and a grapefruit (or pomelo). The name is actually a portmanteau of tangerine and pomelo, which tells you everything about where it came from.
The result of that union? A fruit that is extraordinary.
On one side, you get the lush, honey-sweet warmth of a tangerine — that gorgeous floral citrus depth that makes you want to keep eating. On the other, you get the bright, zesty tang of the grapefruit — the lift, the freshness, the little bit of edge that stops the sweetness from going too far.
Together? It's a flavour combination that is simply more interesting than either parent fruit on its own. Richer than a lemon. More complex than a mandarin. Perfectly balanced between sweet and tart without any help from you.
And that natural balance — that's why I chose the tangelo for Tancello. It needed very little coaxing to become a genuinely delicious liqueur.
How Tancello came to be
Honestly? Complete chance.
A friend of mine makes fabulous gin products. A couple of years ago, his neighbour had a tangelo tree absolutely laden with fruit — more than anyone knew what to do with. We looked at each other, looked at the tree, and decided on the spot to make a trial batch of tangelo 'cello.
We had no idea if it would work. We just thought — it's worth a try.
It was completely delicious. Immediately, obviously, undeniably delicious. Everyone we showed it to agreed without hesitation.
Tangelocello was a bit of a mouthful, so I quickly shortened it to Tancello.
The rest, as they say, is history. History still very much in the making.
So what is Tancello, exactly?
Tancello is Nimble's small-batch Australian tangelo liqueur. My take on the limoncello tradition — but made with tangelo instead of lemon, which means the flavour profile is altogether warmer, rounder, and more interesting.
At 19.5% ABV, it sits in that lovely sweet spot between a wine and a full spirit — strong enough to feel like a proper drink, gentle enough to sip without wincing. It comes in a 500ml bottle, and I'll tell you now: once you've opened one, it tends to disappear faster than you expect.
We keep a bottle in the freezer at our place. I'll explain why in a moment.
Why the limoncello craze matters
Limoncello has gone from an Italian curiosity to an absolute global phenomenon. The limoncello spritz in particular has taken off in a serious way — and rightfully so. It's refreshing, it's beautiful to look at, it's not as heavy as an Aperol spritz, and that citrus hit is just endlessly drinkable.
In Australia, spritz culture has been growing every summer. We love Prosecco. We love something light and bright and festive. The spritz format — a little liqueur, a little sparkle, lots of ice — is just perfect for our climate and our outdoor lifestyle.
Tancello is made for this moment. And because tangelo has that extra dimension that lemons don't — the warmth, the roundness, the sweet-tart complexity — I think it makes a genuinely better spritz than the classic limoncello version.
Five ways to enjoy Tancello
The Tancello Spritz
This is my go-to. It's what I make when people come over on a warm afternoon and I want something that looks gorgeous and tastes even better.
In a large wine glass or stemless glass:
- 60ml Tancello
- 90ml Nimble Prosecco
- A good handful of ice
- A dash of soda water
- A slice of tangelo or orange to garnish
Stir gently, squeeze the garnish over the top, sit back, and enjoy. It's that simple. The Prosecco lifts the Tancello beautifully — the bubbles amplify all that citrus fragrance and make the whole drink feel incredibly light and fresh. Every single person I've made this for has asked for the recipe immediately.
The Tancello Seltzer
Not every Friday night needs a full cocktail moment. Sometimes you just want something refreshing and delicious with minimal effort.
In a tall glass:
- 50ml Tancello
- Lots of ice
- Fill with soda water
- Slice of tangelo or orange to garnish
That's it. Crystal clear, zingy, gorgeous. The tangelo sings without being masked by anything. I reach for this one more than I probably should on a warm Adelaide evening.
Frozen Tancello — the after-dinner nip
This one is my favourite, and the one that surprises people most.
Keep your Tancello bottle in the freezer. At 19.5% ABV, it won't freeze solid — it becomes this gorgeous, viscous, deeply aromatic cold liquid that pours like silk. After dinner, pour a small measure into a little shot glass straight from the freezer.
The cold temperature concentrates the flavour beautifully, and the tangelo comes forward with incredible intensity. It's the best digestif I've found. Warming and refreshing at the same time — which sounds like a contradiction, but I promise it isn't. Try it once and you'll never keep Tancello at room temperature again.
Tancello over ice cream
If you want a genuinely indulgent little dessert moment, pour a generous splash of Tancello over a scoop of good vanilla ice cream.
The cold liqueur hits the ice cream and does something magical — the cream softens the citrus, the tangelo cuts through the richness, and the two together taste like something you'd order at an Italian gelateria and never forget. It takes thirty seconds to prepare and feels completely decadent.
Guests always love this one.
Tancello with gin and tonic
For the gin lovers in the room — add 30ml of Tancello to your regular gin and tonic instead of a wedge of citrus. The tangelo brings a depth and warmth to a G&T that a simple lime or lemon slice can't quite match. Try it once and that lime wedge starts to look a bit boring.
What makes Tancello different to limoncello?
Limoncello is delicious — I'm not arguing with that. But it's built on lemon, which means it's sharp, clean, and quite assertive. That's wonderful in the right context.
Tancello, because it starts with tangelo, has a different character entirely. The sweetness is more natural and rounded. The citrus is warmer — there's a floral, honeyed quality that you just don't get from lemon. And that hint of grapefruit lift means it never goes cloying, no matter how generous your pour is.
In short: limoncello is the sharp, elegant older sibling. Tancello is the more relaxed, warm, endlessly drinkable cousin who turns up to the party and everyone immediately loves.
I'm very proud of it.
Frequently asked questions
What is Tancello? Tancello is The Nimble Vintner's small-batch Australian tangelo liqueur — made from tangelo fruit in the style of an Italian limoncello. At 19.5% ABV and 500ml, it's made to be sipped ice-cold, mixed into a spritz, or poured over vanilla ice cream for a ridiculously easy dessert.
What is a tangelo and why is it used instead of lemon? A tangelo is a natural hybrid of tangerine (or mandarin) and grapefruit (or pomelo), combining the honey-sweetness of a tangerine with the bright citrus lift of a grapefruit. This gives Tancello a more rounded, complex flavour than classic limoncello — naturally sweet-tart without being as sharp as lemon, which makes it more versatile and arguably more drinkable.
How do you make a Tancello spritz? 60ml Tancello, 90ml Prosecco, lots of ice, a dash of soda water, and a slice of tangelo or orange to garnish. Serve in a large wine glass. Stir gently and enjoy immediately.
Does Tancello need to be refrigerated? I recommend keeping it in the freezer. At 19.5% ABV it won't freeze, but chilling it deeply concentrates the flavour beautifully and makes it taste extraordinary served straight. It's also perfect cold for mixing into a spritz or seltzer.
What's the difference between limoncello and Tancello? Limoncello is made from lemons — clean, sharp, assertive citrus. Tancello is made from tangelos, which are a sweeter, more complex citrus fruit. The result is a liqueur that is warmer, rounder, and more naturally balanced than limoncello, while keeping all that bright citrus freshness.
Where can I buy Tancello? Direct from nimble.wine — no retailers, no middlemen.
Cheers, Richard — The Nimble Vintner
