'Basarana Etiqueta Negre' Patxaran

Patxaran (Pacharan) is a sloe-flavoured liqueur from Navarra. It is made from the plant Prunus Spinosa, a thorny, wild bush belonging to the rose family. A close relative of cherry and plum trees, it does well in mountainous areas. For this reason many names have been given to the fruit including 'wild', 'bastard', 'of the mountain', 'plum', and 'thorny'.

Berries are picked by hand and immediately deep frozen to minus 20 degrees to preserve colour and flavour. Fruit is then soaked in las cadenas anisette, an anise flavoured-spirit. Soaking is carried out in dark rooms below ground, for a period of 6 months during which time the fruit is periodically stirred. The result is a ruby red sweet liqueur, around 25% alcohol by volume. It should be served chilled or on ice as a digestive.