If aguardente de medronho sounds a bit fearsome to you then you may want to try melosa. Melosa is a liqueur that is much more friendly than straight aguardente de medronho. It’s a liqueur made of medronho blended with honey and sometimes spices like cinnamon or vanilla. It results in a pleasant experience and a sweet liqueur that is again served as a digestif. It’s actually where we recommend you start if you’re tipping your toes into the medronho world. You’ll find it mostly in the places that have both considerable honey and aguardente production like Monchique. 4. Ginja or Ginjinha Braico, K. T., Humbert, J. R., Terplan, K. L., and Lehotay, J. M. Laetrile intoxication. Report of a fatal case. N.Engl.J Med 2-1-1979;300(5):238-240. View abstract.

Last and most definitely not least is Port – or Vinho do Porto to give its full name. Does Port need an introduction? It is perhaps Portugal’s most famous drink, but we think it might still need one. In my experience, an old bottle of Ruby port was dragged out by my grandparents each Christmas. It was only when I arrived in Portugal that I was introduced to quite literally a world of ports, that went much further than a simple ruby port. The bitter almond ( Prunus dulcis var. amara), [3] despite growing plentifully around the Algarve region, was never commonly harvested or consumed. This was due not only to its remarkably bitter flavour, but also to the high concentration of cyanide in its drupes, which can cause severe or even lethal effects if ingested in large amounts. [4] The verde in its name has two conflicting origin stories, neither to do with the colour of the wine itself. One being that its from the Minho region, a region that is lush, green and gets lots of rain. The other refers to its age, and suggests the green means young, and that it is traditionally drank much younger than normal wines from Portugal. Despite the green name, Vinho Verde wine is also available in red ( tinto) and rosé varieties. 11. Port – Vinho do PortoAmarguinha is a portuguese liqueur made from the best almonds available in the south of Portugal (Algarve) also known as “amendoa amarga” (bitter almond). This brand is the original “amarguinha” created by the late Filipe de Brito. Over the years Amarguinha has gained recognition around the world and is served in the finest restaurants and homes. Portuguese bartenders sometimes use Amarguinha as a substitute for orgeat syrup. Samuel Pepys a famous 17th Century British Parliament member noted for his diary writings who was also fond of imbibing loved Amarguinha chilled mixed with half a lemon and a good dose of Turkish coffee. In the Algarve, aguardente de medronho is perhaps the most popular. The medronho is a small spikey fruit found across southern Portugal, it’s also called a strawberry tree fruit. It has nothing to do with strawberries though and tastes nothing like them. The result is a clear alcohol that is usually drank neat as a digestif. It’s both very traditional and a typical drink in the south of Portugal. Similarly to aguardente, you’ll find the supermarket variety hovers around 40%, but the local and homemade stuff can get much much stronger. If you listen to the locals, they’ll tell you it can heal everything from sore throats to stomach conditions. If you don’t fancy purchasing a whole bottle of the stuff, many bars and cafés will sell shots for less than €1. Strawberry Tree Fruit (Arbutus unedo) 3 Melosa Although wine is skipped off this list because it’s one of the most famous drinks Portugal offers. There is a particular type of wine that is less widely known and equally delicious. Vinho Verde! Vinho Verdes are light, fresh, and slightly sparkling, and commonly served chilled in the summer. Officially, they’re not recognised as sparkling, but they do offer a slight and refreshing fizz at the tip of your tongue. Rauws, A. G., Olling, M., and Timmerman, A. The pharmacokinetics of prunasin, a metabolite of amygdalin. J Toxicol.Clin Toxicol. 1982;19(8):851-856. View abstract.

Navarro MD. The Philippine experience in the early detection and chemotherapy of cancer. Santo Tomas J Med 1970;25(3):125-133. Syrigos, K. N., Rowlinson-Busza, G., and Epenetos, A. A. In vitro cytotoxicity following specific activation of amygdalin by beta-glucosidase conjugated to a bladder cancer-associated monoclonal antibody. Int J Cancer 12-9-1998;78(6):712-719. View abstract.What is Aguardente? The most common explanation given that it’s a fermented, and distilled alcohol made from a variety of fruits and grains, depending on the locale. In the Algarve, aguardente is typically made from medronho (see below), but also oranges and even figs. In the north and the wine growing regions, often it’s the grape must or the grapes unworthy of wine production. Aguadente Bagaceira being the most famous example. In Madeira, typically sugarcane is used, leading to Aguardente de Cana Madeirense. 2. Aguardente de Medronho Navarro MD. Five years experience with laetrile therapy in advanced cancer. Acta Unio Internat Contra Cancrum 1959;15(suppl 1):209-221.

Amêndoa Amarga, or as some have been called it for the past decade, Amarguinha, is a regional and typical Portuguese liqueur whose purpose is to finish off a great meal or to start a night out with friends. This one should be served with ice, very fresh, being a very sweet liqueur that is refreshing during the summer season. Aguardente literally translates as firewater and it has quite the reputation in Portugal. It’s believed that it gets its name for the burning sensation it leaves in your throat! The supermarket variety is usually around 40%, but most locals will tell you it can be found at around 70% if you know who to ask.

In a similar vein to Bailey’s or Sangster’s rum cream, Creme de Pastel de Nata is Portugal’s very own version. The most popular and pioneer of the idea is Licor 35. Who state after 21 attempts to get it right, they settled on a blend of sample 3 and 5. Several other brands, both artisanal and discount, have come up with their own versions often simply called licor natas. It’s supposedly based on the flavours of a pastel de nata but in practice, it’s less custard and much more simply vanilla and cream. Served over ice it’s a delicious but a very sweet digestif, but is also added to coffee to create a Portuguese inspired Irish coffee.You’ll also find ice cream and other desserts flavoured with it! 8. Portuguese Rum and Brazilian Cachaça Biaglow, J. E. and Durand, R. E. The enhanced radiation response of an in vitro tumour model by cyanide released from hydrolysed amygdalin. Int J Radiat Biol Relat Stud.Phys Chem Med 1978;33(4):397-401. View abstract.