Espinheira Licor de Ginja
Francisco Espinheira & C.ª L.da / Lisbon (Portugal)
The 1840 Lisbon Sidewalk Classic
Translucent, deep ruby-garnet color. The nose is highly aromatic and rich, bursting with intense wild sour cherry, clove, and warm cinnamon sticks. Viscous, velvety, and sweet on the palate, with the heavy sugar balanced beautifully by the sharp, mouth-watering natural acidity of the Morello cherries.
⭐⭐⭐ (It sits at a potent 23% ABV with a massive amount of residual sugar. It's an absolute treat, but treat it like a premium cordial).
Rich dark chocolate tarts, vanilla bean ice cream, a double shot of espresso, or simply enjoyed straight up on a Lisbon sidewalk.
This is pure Portuguese culture captured in a 100cl bottle. If you've walked through Lisbon, you've likely seen people lining up at a tiny counter for a quick one-euro shot of this stuff. It tastes like high-octane cherry pie filling with a brilliant, spicy cinnamon kick. Because it uses real Morello cherries, it stays wonderfully tart instead of tasting like cough syrup. Pop the cap, pour it neat, and experience a recipe that hasn't changed since the mid-19th century.