What do people drink in Ibiza after dinner? The answer has not changed in five centuries. Hierbas ibicencas, an aniseed liqueur infused with the island’s wild herbs, is still the go-to digestif!
5 centuries of history in a bottle
The story begins in the 16th century. Monks who knew the medicinal properties of local plants experimented with distillation. The result: a remedy for stomach ailments that, according to accounts from the time, resembled a “shamanic ritual”.
In the 19th century, the recipe left the monasteries for people’s homes. Each family developed its own version. Around 1880, Juan Marí Mayans, a merchant who travelled between Formentera and Barcelona, learnt the secrets of distillation at a Barcelona distillery. He then founded the first distillery in Formentera.
5 generations and more than 140 years later, the Marí Mayans family accounts for 90% of the market and remains 100% Ibizan.
Up to 18 plants per bottle
The process combines four separate techniques depending on the plant. Steam distillation in a copper still for 18 hours for the aromatic herbs. Maceration in water-alcohol solutions for 15 days to six weeks for the woodier elements. Boiling for some herbs. And simple infusion for the most delicate, such as camomile.
In practice, it contains orange and lemon peel, juniper, lemon verbena, camomile, thyme, frígola (wild thyme), fennel, rosemary, eucalyptus, oregano, mint and other ingredients that remain secret.
Since 1997, hierbas ibicencas has had a protected geographical designation. Only production from Ibiza and Formentera can bear the name.
Dulces or secas?
In practice, you will find two main families. Hierbas dulces, sweeter and more approachable, are good for a first taste. Hierbas secas, drier and more herbal, are preferred by connoisseurs. There are also hierbas mixtas, a compromise between the two.
The ritual is simple. Hierbas is served well chilled in a small glass after the meal. Some add an ice cube. Purists prefer it neat, at cellar temperature.
The perfect souvenir
Ready to pack a bottle in your luggage? You will find artisan hierbas in local grocery shops and the island’s distilleries. It is the most authentic and fragrant souvenir of Ibiza. A liqueur born as a monks’ remedy that became the digestif of famous DJs and partygoers. The Ibiza of yesterday and today in one glass.
Personally, I love this liqueur, as a digestif but also in cocktails. I discovered it in the north, in Portinatx: they make a cocktail called the “Muclar” at Hotel La Cigüeña (and its beach bar), as well as at Rebrots restaurant right next door (a favourite!). It is the same recipe as a mojito, but with hierbas. Delicious!
Fresh and herbal, I recommend it without hesitation!
