Valencia is a paradise for liquor lovers. Fruit and aromatic herbs are the main ingredients in traditional Valencian alcoholic drinks. Read on to know more about typical liquors of Valencia and where to try them.
Mistela and moscatel
Mistela and moscatel? Wait, it’s not the same thing? Well, no. Moscatel is a type of wine or to be precise a type of grape from which a sweet wine is made. On the other hand, mistela is a liquor made from grape juice and alcohol. It usually contains between 13 and 23 % of alcohol and at least 80 g of sugar. Both mistela and moscatel are very sweet and are usually great companions for desserts. Apart from grape juice and alcohol, mistela might be flavoured with herbs, such as anise, clove and cinnamon; orange extract or even ground coffee. The most common mistela brand in Valencia is called Mistela Moscatel Turís. Before you buy a bottle in your closest supermarket, order one chupito in any bar in your neighbourhood to make sure you like the super sweet flavour.
La Cassalla
Cassalla stands for anise liquor and its most famous representative with a long tradition Anis del mono (Anise of the monkey). Cassalla is a transparent liquor with 40 – 45 % of alcohol. The drink is originally from Sevilla but spread all over Spain and is drunk in gallons during fiestas, especially bull fiestas.
Have you heard of El Barrejat? It’s a combo of mistela and cassalla typical in Torrent where they hold La fiesta del Barrejat dedicated to this authentic mix.
El Herbero
El Herbero is a magical potion from Alicante province. If you already speak Spanish and would like to try to make your own herbero at home, visit this page for a recipe. You will need quite a selection of herbs – chamomile flowers, salvia, basil, rosemary, marjoram, thyme, anise, juniper and orange peel. In case you prefer to dedicate your precious time to Spanish learning, visit the Central Market and purchase Herbero de la Sierra Mariola.
The above mentioned drinks are not the only ones. In the upcoming weeks we will bring you a follow-up article about more liquors you should try while learning Spanish in Valencia so check our blog regularly to not miss our interesting info.
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