Mountain Spirit · Medronho
Aguardente de Medronho
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Its production traces back to Moorish stills in the 10th century — Monchique locals still distill medronho in copper pot stills over open wood fires, much as their Arab-influenced ancestors did over a thousand years ago.
Medronho is a clear fruit brandy distilled from the fermented berries of the strawberry tree, which grows wild across the Monchique hills. It's strong and fragrant, typically drunk neat as a fiery digestif after a meal.
Why it's made this way: The Algarve's Monchique mountains are covered in wild strawberry-tree berries, and distilling them into aguardente has been a centuries-old autumn ritual there, passed down through generations of small family stills.
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