I’ll save plain beer and wine for a separate list, but here’s an eclectic ranking of 10 Spanish drinks, ordered from my least favorite to my most favorite.
Sherry (Jerez)
Sherry is an acquired taste that I have yet to acquire. For me, it’s too strong and tastes like gasoline. That said, I would love to go to Jerez and learn more about it and perhaps find a sherry I enjoy. I’ve heard it’s best served ice-cold with food pairings. I do like sherry vinegar for cooking. Supposedly, sherry has been produced in Andalusia since Roman times, but it gained international fame in the 16th century through English merchants and explorers—Magellan even stocked it for his circumnavigation. Britain remained the largest importer, shaping styles such as fino, amontillado, and oloroso.
Calimocho (Kalimotxo)
A Basque invention from the 1970s, created when young people mixed cheap red wine with Coca-Cola to mask its poor taste. It spread quickly and became a staple of botellón (street drinking) culture. I like Coca-Cola and I like wine, but this isn’t something I would typically order.
Horchata
Also called orxata in Valencian, horchata was introduced by the Moors and cultivated in Valencia by the 13th century. The name is related to orzata in Italian and orgeat in French and English, all of which trace back to barley. Unlike the Mexican variety made with rice, which I prefer, Spanish horchata is made from chufa (tiger nuts).
Comments
Nothing yet. Say the first thing.
Sign in to join the conversation.