Portuguese Cocktails are Super In!
At a time when cocktails gain ground because many visitors ask for them and summer demands something fresh, Best Experience Lisbon talked with barmen and barmaids in the city and found out that Portuguese drinks have been reinvent themselves, both in the original version and as a mix.
Portuguese drinks are unique and versatile. Some of them come from family recipes, which is the case of Licor Beirão, the most famous Portuguese liquor, or Macieira, a 140 year-old spirits.
These recipes are as secret as the Coca-Cola formula and a confidentiality vow is demanded of everyone working on them.
Portuguese cocktails have always been super in and international. For example, Porto Tonic, where the gin is replaced by a white Port wine, appeared a long time ago with rising quality and the advantage of drinking wine along the entire meal or simply as an aperitif instead of having a spirits drink. It conquers anyone who tries it and Porto Tonic should already be among the most demanded cocktails in the world!
The world famous Caipirinha can easily be made with Macieira or Licor Beirão, with the advantage that you only need to add lime to Licor Beirão due to the sweetness of this liquor. Caipirão or Macieirinha, these are the names given to these two creations based on the Brazilian cocktail, prepared with Portuguese vintage drinks. You can drink these cocktails everywhere in Lisbon, before or after your meal.
The Old Brandy Aliança Velha (1927) is also open for interpretation. This spirits drink invested on a guidebook about local taverns, called Guia de Tascas de Lisboa (printed by Oficina do Livro) and has a more contemporary look. Aliança Mix is one of the suggestions, where this spirits drink, usually considered an after meal drink, takes the role of an aperitif, using a sugar cube soaked in Old Brandy Aliança Velha, Aliança Sparkling Wine and a lemon twist.
The Bairro Alto Hotel specializes in reinterpreting Portuguese drinks. Moscatel, a wine made with a muscatel grape variety, becomes the Moscatel Old Fashioned, Ginjinha (traditional drink based on sour cherries) takes the name of Dry Ginja and Amêndoa Amarga (Almond Liquor) is part of a new Mojito, called Amajito.
In order to taste these cocktails, Lisbon invites you to a tour around hotel bars like the Bairro Alto Hotel, with a cool retro style, or the Corinthia Lisbon, voted best hotel bar in 2015 by the Lisbon Bar Show, taverns where several of these drinks are served neat, such as the Ginjinha in downtown Lisbon, and even refreshments Kiosks, called Quisoque do Refresco in the neighbourhoods of Príncipe Real, Praça das Flores and Praça de Camões.
Here is the recipe for Amajito (image below): Lime + Demerara sugar (it has more nutritional properties without altering other flavours) + basil leaves + Amarguinha (bitter almond liquor) + Castello sparkling water and ice.
Refresh yourself in Lisbon with Best Experience Lx!
