Medronho: what Portugal's strawberry tree brandy is, how it is made and how to drink it

By Luís Serra, co-founder of Ra-Ro · View profile

About a 4 minute read

Medronho, aguardente de medronho in Portuguese, is a spirit distilled from the fruit of the strawberry tree, a shrub that grows wild in the hills of southern Portugal. The fruit is picked by hand in autumn, ferments for weeks and is distilled in a copper still. The result is a strong, fragrant spirit with a note of ripe fruit. It is the drink of the Algarve hills, such as Monchique and Caldeirão, and is served in a small glass at the end of a meal.

Medronho in short

• Made from: the fruit of the strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo).
• Where: mainly in the hills of the Algarve and Alentejo.
• How: hand picking in autumn, fermentation of the fruit and distillation in a copper still.
• How to drink it: neat, in a small glass, at room temperature or slightly cool, as a digestif.
• At Ra-Ro: Medronho by Regionalarte, from São Marcos da Serra, 44 euros.

The strawberry tree and its fruit

The strawberry tree is a Mediterranean shrub that likes dry slopes and poor soils. It has a rare trait: it flowers in autumn and winter at the same time as the previous year's fruit ripens, so the same plant carries white flowers and red berries. The fruit is small, round and grainy, turning from yellow to orange to deep red. It is fragile and bruises easily, so picking is slow and done by hand, berry by berry.

How medronho is made

1. Picking: between autumn and early winter, when the fruit is fully ripe.
2. Fermentation: the berries go into tanks or vats and ferment for weeks, sometimes months, until the sugar turns into alcohol.
3. Distillation: the fermented mash is heated in a copper still. The vapour cools in the coil and the spirit comes out.
4. Resting: the spirit rests before bottling. Some producers, such as Regionalarte, age it in oak barrels, which adds colour and a woody warmth.

How to drink medronho

• Neat: in a small glass, slowly, after a meal.
• Temperature: room temperature or slightly cool; ice cold loses aroma.
• With honey: in the Algarve it is mixed with honey into a drink called melosa, served mostly on cold days.
• In the kitchen: a few drops in fruit desserts, fig sweets or for flambéing.
• In moderation: it is a strong spirit, usually above 40% alcohol.

How to choose a good medronho

• Named producer: a label with the distiller's name and the origin of the fruit.
• Aroma: it should smell of ripe fruit, not of harsh alcohol.
• Wild fruit: berries picked in the hills give more character.
• Aged or clear: clear medronho is fruitier and more direct; wood aged is rounder.

Regionalarte, from São Marcos da Serra

Jorge Lima and his wife, Esmeralda, look after around 100 hectares of wild strawberry trees in the hills of São Marcos da Serra, above the Odelouca river in the Algarve. Jorge is the fourth generation of a family of distillers and ages his medronho in old oak barrels, in tribute to his mother, Dona Inácia. Their daughter Rute already takes the brand to fairs. The same family makes Bitter Honey from the strawberry tree, which bees make in winter from its flowers. We explain it in Bitter strawberry tree honey, and show the region in The Algarve beyond the beach.

Frequently asked questions

What is medronho?

A spirit made from the fruit of the strawberry tree, fermented and distilled in a copper still, typical of the Algarve hills.

How strong is medronho?

Usually above 40% alcohol; the exact figure is on each producer's label.

How do you drink medronho?

Neat, in a small glass, at room temperature or slightly cool, after a meal. In the Algarve it is also mixed with honey into melosa.

When is the strawberry tree fruit picked?

Between autumn and early winter, when the fruit is red and ripe. It is picked by hand.

Does the strawberry tree also give honey?

Yes. Bees visit its flowers in winter and make bitter honey, intense and slightly bitter.

Where can I buy artisan medronho?

At Ra-Ro, which sells medronho by Regionalarte, from São Marcos da Serra in the Algarve.