Gin Xoriguer Distillery & Tasting at Destil·leries Xoriguer
Gin came to Menorca with the British Navy in the early 18th century, and the island never gave it back. The Xoriguer distillery on the Maó waterfront has been producing its distinctive copper-pot gin — made with Mediterranean juniper and local spring water — since the 1700s, and a visit here is the most flavourful history lesson you will have on the island.
The Distillery Tour and Tasting
The distillery sits right on the Moll de Ponent (the commercial quay), and the smell of juniper and warm copper hits you before you even open the door. Inside, you can watch the original wood-fired copper stills in operation — they are among the oldest continuously used pot stills in Spain — and a brief guided explanation walks you through the distillation process.
The tasting session that follows is the real draw: you sample the classic Xoriguer Gin alongside the pomada (gin mixed with fresh lemon or cloudy lemonade), which is Menorca's unofficial national drink. The pomada is dangerously refreshing on a hot afternoon and far more complex than its two-ingredient simplicity suggests.
The Shop and What to Buy
The on-site shop stocks the full Xoriguer range, including aged expressions and the herbal liqueur varieties that are harder to find outside Menorca. Prices are significantly lower than airport duty-free and the bottles are the real local article, not the export-market dilutions.
Staff are generous with additional samples if you show genuine curiosity, and they can advise on which expression pairs best with the local ensaimada pastry or the Mahón cheese you picked up at the market. A 70cl bottle of classic Xoriguer Gin costs around €12–15 at the distillery shop.
Pomada Culture and Where Else to Try It
To drink pomada the way locals do, head two minutes along the quay to Bar Nou or any of the waterfront terraces on Moll de Ponent after your distillery visit. Order it over ice with a slice of lemon and watch the harbour traffic while the afternoon heat softens.
The combination of gin, lemonade and harbour breeze is so embedded in Menorcan culture that the drink appears at every local festival, wedding and summer celebration. Understanding it is understanding a significant slice of the island's identity.
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