Hierbas is an aniseed-flavored Spanish
liqueur
A liqueur (; ; ) is an alcoholic drink composed of spirits (often rectified spirit) and additional flavorings such as sugar, fruits, herbs, and spices. Often served with or after dessert, they are typically heavily sweetened and un-aged beyond ...
served as a
digestif.
History
The Hierbas liqueur has its roots on the
Balearic Islands
The Balearic Islands ( es, Islas Baleares ; or ca, Illes Balears ) are an archipelago in the Balearic Sea, near the eastern coast of the Iberian Peninsula. The archipelago is an autonomous community and a province of Spain; its capital is ...
. Monks already living there during the
Middle Ages were already cultivating the wild herbs and
alcohol
Alcohol most commonly refers to:
* Alcohol (chemistry), an organic compound in which a hydroxyl group is bound to a carbon atom
* Alcohol (drug), an intoxicant found in alcoholic drinks
Alcohol may also refer to:
Chemicals
* Ethanol, one of sev ...
for medicinal use, so a strong tradition existed for the production of the liqueur. However, it wasn't until the late 1800s that the actual production of Hierbas was formalized, utilizing techniques obtained from travellers to the mainland of Spain.
Production
Hierbas is an aniseed-flavored liqueur made mainly by extracting aromas of various plants such as
fennel,
thyme,
rosemary,
Luisa herbs,
lavender,
rue,
eucalyptus,
chamomile,
juniper berries,
juniper
Junipers are coniferous trees and shrubs in the genus ''Juniperus'' () of the cypress family Cupressaceae. Depending on the taxonomy, between 50 and 67 species of junipers are widely distributed throughout the Northern Hemisphere, from the Arcti ...
,
marjoram,
mint, healthy grass, leaves and peels from lemons and oranges, and sage in the presence of other plants such as
star anise
''Illicium verum'' is a medium-sized evergreen tree native to northeast Vietnam and southwest China. A spice commonly called star anise, staranise, star anise seed, star aniseed, star of anise, Chinese star anise, or badian that closely resembl ...
and
green anise
Anise (; '), also called aniseed or rarely anix is a flowering plant in the family Apiaceae native to Eurasia.
The flavor and aroma of its seeds have similarities with some other spices and herbs, such as star anise, fennel, licorice, and ta ...
or ''matafaluga''.
See also
*
Herbs de Majorca
Herbs de Majorca (Catalan: Herbes de Mallorca; Spanish: Hierbas Mallorquinas) is a Majorcan herbal liqueur of medicinal origin. A form of the generic Hierbas, Herbs de Majorca has a protected designation of origin and can only be made in Majorca ...
, the Majorcan form
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hierbas
Spanish distilled drinks
Herbal liqueurs