Medronho

Aguardente de medronho is distilled from the fermented berries of the strawberry tree, which grows wild across the hills of the Algarve. The small red fruits are harvested in autumn, left to ferment naturally, and then distilled in copper pot stills. The resulting spirit is crystal clear, typically 45-50% alcohol.

In the Algarve's Monchique mountains, small-scale medronho distillation is a cherished tradition. The spirit is consumed as a digestif and increasingly refined by craft distillers into smoother, premium expressions.