Zimbro, Licores Serrano

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.