Poli Distillerie

The Vaca Mora

Steam trains carrying passengers through the province of Vicenza were once referred to as “Vaca mora” (the Black Cow).

Such a peculiar name requires an explanation: wealthy men once used to pay their wives’ vacations in Asiago, to spend a week skiing.

Their wives were taken care of during the week by local skiing teachers, whereas their husbands would be dwelling home working until the weekend.

On Saturday, when the husbands would finally catch the Vaca Mora train to climb the mountain and reach their wives, a hilarious engine driver placed a piece of iron on the train’s funnel, so that the smoke coming out of it would branch off in two directions, looking like horns…

From “Ferrovia a cremagliera Rocchette-Asiago” by Chiericato and Gasparella - Asiago, Edit. Bonomo, 1995, p.78

Hats and horses

At the end of the 19th century, GioBatta Poli owned a thriving business of production and wholesale/retail sale of wine, groceries and straw hats in San Luca, on the Marostica hills. A horse change station was also offered to the travellers..

It was probably the daily contact with travellers that made him understand the increasing importance of transport means.

The economical railways

On September 25th 1884, Senator Alessandro Rossi (1819-1898), entrepreneur and enlightened politician, had founded the “Economical Railways of Schio” with the aim of establishing a rail connection between the major production centres in the upper Vicenza province and Vicenza itself, the main city that since 1846 was served by the most important railway line of the time: the Milan-Venice one.

The Vicenza – Bassano del Grappa line would be going through Schiavon too.

Osteria "Al cappello"

And so it was that on the 15th of January 1885 GioBatta decided to move from San Luca to Schiavon, where he opened the “Osteria al Cappello” (The Hat’s tavern), carrying on selling wine and straw hats.

A few years later the long awaited steam train, the Vaca Mora (Black Cow), finally arrived in front of the tavern.

Passengers used to wait for the Vaca Mora at the tavern, chatting and sipping a glass of wine or a drink of that bitter prepared from an infusion of herbs, fruit peels and roots. Sometimes even the engine driver would come in…

A few nips later, in 1898, the Poli distilleries were established on the tavern premises.

Vaca Mara Riserva

An officinale -style herb bitter liqueur promoting digestion, obtained from the infusion of herbs, fruit peels and roots in Grappa and alcohol.
A “wheel” of scents.

125th anniversary special edition, patiently stored in the underground cellars of the Poli Distillery.