A Lucky Accident: How Spanish Puerto De Indias Made The First Strawberry Gin

Jul 13, 2023

The world's first strawberry gin was launched by Puerto de Indias in Seville, Spain, in 2013. This is the story of how an over-ripe batch of strawberries, a historic distillery and what some might call a fortuitous accident inspired a new liquor category.

Strawberry gin from Puerto de Indias.

The story behind strawberry gin begins in 2008 when two Sevillian brothers with a background in the construction industry set about trying to sell an old distillery. This proved tricky, as the distillery was considered a notable monument, due to its history dating back to the 19th century, and the presence of an underground water spring from Roman times.

Unable to sell the distillery, the brothers instead decided to make the most of it.

Gin is the most-sold liquor category in Spain

"They started exploring the potential of the business, making different kinds of liquor, experimenting with different fruits," explains Juan Miguel Pérez Ilzarbe, International Director, Puerto de Indias, adding that they soon turned their focus to gin, which was, and remains, the number-one bestselling spirit category in Spain.

"One day, they came across a batch of strawberries that was starting to go bad and decided to see what would happen if they distilled them," Pérez continues.

The result was a spirit that tasted like gin, but slightly sweeter, with an appealing pink color.

"They started selling the strawberry gin to friends and friends of friends and the rumor began to spread," Pérez says. "By mid-2014, people were going crazy for it in Seville and, once something is popular in Seville, it doesn't take long for people in Madrid to start hearing about it!".

Los Alcores de Carmona distillery.

The Puerto de Indias distillery, Los Alcores de Carmona, is one of the oldest and most traditional of its kind in Andalusia. It is credited as the birthplace of the first Andalusian pacharán, a sloe-flavored liqueur commonly served in Spain as a digestif. An underground spring dating back from Roman times nurtures Los Alcores de Carmona, while its water serves to create microclimate conditions inside the distillery. This detail, along with the two century-old copper stills, make the distillery a fascinating homage to traditional distilling methods.

Today, the site pays homage to both its historic roots and its youthful customer base, evidenced by the mix of traditional architecture and colorful murals.

Puerto de Indias Strawberry Gin is distilled from beetroot, juniper berries and freshly picked ... [+] strawberries from Huelva.

Puerto de Indias Strawberry Gin is distilled from beetroot, juniper berries and freshly picked strawberries from the nearby Spanish region of Huelva. This carefully balanced blend is what gives Puerto its trademark pink color and light, citrusy finish.

To make the gin, the raw materials are first added to the still and macerated for one week. The mixture is then distilled for three hours, in a process that requires meticulous temperature control, in order to allow the still to take on heads and tails from distillation. After the gin has cooled, the strawberry by-products are collected in carafes and cleaned.

Today, Puerto de Indias ranks among the bestselling flavored gin brands in the world. Its strawberry gin was introduced to the U.S. in 2019 and can be found across a growing number of states, from Florida, to Texas, California, Colorado, New York, New Jersey, and Illinois, among others.

Strawberry gin from Puerto de Indias.

Fill your glass with ice and turn to chill the glass. Discard the remaining water. Place several slices of fresh strawberries in the glass. Add the gin and pour the tonic while stirring gently with a spoon. Enjoy!