Maker

Zimbro Licores Serrano

Inspired by the story of the warrior Viriato, Artur Aleixo is dedicated to capturing the authentic spirit of Serra da Estrela in liqueurs that support the local economy and promote rural revitalization.

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A LEGEND RECREATED ON THE MOUNTAIN SLOPES

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It was the late 1980s when Artur Aleixo went in search of an ancient legend on the slopes of the Serra da Estrela mountains: he wanted to recreate the secret nectar that the hero Viriatus must have tasted more than two thousand years ago. He needed to find plants, fruits, and, above all, the spirit of the forest.

With juniper, he created a spirit (aguardente); then, he harvested medronho, sour cherry (ginja), heather honey, among others.

Today, in his distillation process, Artur uses old copper stills combined with modern precision techniques. He designs the bottle labels himself, valuing design as much as the first sip. His vast catalogue of beverages has been internationally awarded, but what truly motivates him is supporting the local economy and promoting rural revitalization through authentic and traditional flavours.

Since the beginning of the business, Artur has only stopped the machines once: in 2020, during the pandemic, to produce hand sanitizer for a local hospital.

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The journey

Zimbro Licores Serrano

Inspiration and Historical Quest

In the late 1980s, Artur Aleixo chased an ancient legend up the slopes of Serra da Estrela: he wanted to recreate the secret mountain nectar that the warrior hero Viriato had tasted during a battle more than 2,000 years ago. He needed to find the plants and the fruits but, above all, the spirit of the forest.

Creation of Signature Spirits

From juniper he created an aguardente called zimbro. He then went on to collect and study arbutus, wild cherry and heather honey, among others, building a diverse catalogue of traditional spirits.

Distillation and Design

Today, Artur’s distillation process combines vintage copper pot stills with modern precision techniques. He sketches the bottle labels himself, valuing design as much as the first sip. His catalogue of spirits has earned international recognition.

Community and Values

What matters most to Artur is supporting the local economy and leading rural revival through authentic taste and tradition. He paused operations only once, in 2020, during the COVID-19 lockdowns, to produce alcohol sanitizer for a local hospital.

The technique

ABOUT THE ELDERFLOWER

Tiny and fragile, these flowers can be found throughout the country, but what makes them scarce is the fact that they are harvested 800 metres above sea level.

Handmade by Zimbro Licores Serrano

The pieces

Elderflower Liqueur

Scarce22,20 €

Traditional Mead

Uncommon21,80 €

TIMELESS

Time is relentless. Fortunately, nature has its own cycles. We had thought of waiting until spring to see the mountain slopes covered in the fluffy whiteness of elderflower, but the floral and sweet taste of the liqueur that lingered in our mouths was a promise of that wait. It is at this intersection between human time and nature's time that ZImbro, Licores Serrano builds its essence. An ancestral patience that translates into flavours that do not rush, but allow themselves to be infused with the calm of the mountains. To drink this liqueur is to participate in a cycle much older and wiser than our daily rush.

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