There are many ways to identify people: through their zodiac sign, their type of humor or even the after-dinner drink you take after a heavy meal . There we have our aunt Gertrudis, so daring that today she will take two baileys . Uncle Gonzalo, who analyzes the botanicals of the gin and tonic with the pretense of an English lord, the cousin who hasn't put down the bottle of wine since the aperitif, or the liqueurs that we prefer to indulge in with local drinks.
In the world of desktops there is a wide range of moods and palates, but the following traditional liqueurs They always take center stage.
The traditional Galician queimada.
QUEIMADA (GALICIA)
Galicia is inconceivable without its liqueurs: from the fourteen spices of its herbal liqueur to the iconic coffee liqueur without forgetting, of course, the schnapps employee in the burned . Every summer solstice, this century-old punch attracts some friends who can't resist that combination of pomace, sugar, coffee beans and lemon peel served in clay pots . As a climax, a spell capable of protecting us all from the worst curse.
Liquor 43, tradition of Murcia.
LIQUOR 43 (MURCIA)
Liquor 43 headquarters, the best-selling Spanish liquor in the world , is located in Murcia and today is an essential ingredient in one of the most famous drinks in the Huerta region: asian coffee , a drink born from the ships that arrived from Asia to the port of Cartagena.
This elixir is prepared from a finger of condensed milk, brandy, coffee, cinnamon, lemon, two coffee beans and, of course, a splash of Licor 43 . You can take them accompanied by some good paparajotes for dessert, or alone as long as you take into account the choice of the perfect cup.
Ratafia.
RATAFÍA (ARAGON AND CATALONIA)
The ratafia It is a drink from the monasteries of the Carthusians of Tarragona , who distributed this liquor to cure menstruation pain until its preparation spread to peasant families. Crafted from a combination of green nuts, spices such as cinnamon and cloves, aromatic herbs such as sage and thyme well macerated in base alcohol such as brandy , the ratafía is a symbol of Aragonese and Catalan after-meals.
As a reference, nothing better than dropping by the town of Santa Coloma de Farnes , in Girona, where the Ratafía Fair is held every autumn.
Pink mix.
MISTELA (VALENCIAN COMMUNITY, EASTERN ANDALUSIA AND CASTILLA LA MANCHA)
In the Valencian Community we have different after-dinner liqueurs that speak of our shrubs and bushes, crops and traditions: there we have the lavender of Elche and Monóvar , made with borriquero thyme; the herbalist macerated from plants from the Sierra Mariola or, my favorite, the mistela.
Especially popular around the Spanish Levante, the southeast of Albacete or provinces such as Granada , a mistela is a very typical sweet wine from the Marina Alta region (Alicante) made from Moscatel de Alejandría grapes. An unctuous and sweet drink, ideal to accompany desserts or extend after-meal talk until midnight.
Pacharan.
PACHARÁN (NAVARRA, BASQUE COUNTRY AND CASTILLA Y LEÓN)
The distilling of liqueurs from juniper berries has been common throughout Europe since time immemorial. In fact, the consumption of pacharan It was already widespread at the dawn of the Middle Ages in the community of Navarra.
Crafted from the maceration of the blackthorn fruit in anise-flavoured brandy , Pacharán is another after-meal icon in our country, especially in Navarra, but also in the Basque Country and Castilla y León.
The typical products of Chinchón.
CHINCHON (MADRID)
When we think of chinchón, the three ladies from Here there is no one who lives playing cinquillo comes to mind, but this typical drink from the Madrid town of Chinchón has always been there. The vines and anise grown in the municipality during the 19th century were the prelude to this liqueur made from green anise seeds macerated in an alcohol solution.
The chinchón is one of the most intense liqueurs, since its graduation ranges between 35 and 40 degrees for the sweet chinchón; and 74 degrees for the dry chinchón. Only for the brave.
Palo de Mallorca made by Licors Moyà.
MAJORCA WOOD
The flora of the Balearic Islands has been used in the production of liqueurs for hundreds of years, and a good example can be found in the typical Palo de Mallorca.
This drink made from maceration of cinchona, gentian and sugar in ethyl alcohol It was born as a way to combat malaria in the swampy areas of Mallorca in the 16th and 17th centuries. Over time, Palo de Mallorca transcended as an aperitif but also after-dinner liquor along with another island icon: the "herbs" , made from anise and up to 30 different types of herbs.
Licor de Gloria from the Valle del Jerte Cooperative Group.
GLORY (EXTREMADURA)
Each spring, the cherry trees of Jerte Valley flourish to the delight of your visitors and instagrammers. However, beyond this 'hanami' so ours, the Extremaduran cherry trees give away one of the most delicious liquors of this autonomous community: Gloria's liquor , a drink made in the municipalities of Guijo from Santa Barbara (Caceres) and Castilblanco (Badajoz) from cherries macerated in grape brandy and must.
Tocino de cielo liqueur from the Páez Morilla winery in Jerez de la Frontera.
TOCINO DE CIELO LIQUOR (ANDALUCIA)
Tabletop liqueurs never stop reinventing themselves based on new experiments and ancient recipes. In 2017, the Paez Morilla winery Jerez de la Frontera they opted for a liqueur that combines brandy from Jerez and essences of tocino de cielo, one of the most typical desserts in the region, born from the egg yolks used to clarify wine in convents. A young liquor according to the constant need to innovate and enhance the sweetness of a good dessert.
Banana liqueur from Cobana, in Tejina.
BANANA LIQUOR (CANARY ISLANDS)
The natural banana combined with brandy is a traditional recipe from the old Canarian farms and wineries, where its wide fruit variety emulsifies in many dishes as well as irresistible drinks. The maceration of this fruit results in banana liquor from Cobana, a winery founded in 1948 in San Bartolomé de Tejina, in Tenerife.
A sweet elixir often used in the preparation of barraquito coffee, another of the digestive icons of the Fortunate Islands.