🥃 Anís Paloma Monforte del Cid
Dry aniseed spirit from the province of Alicante: green anise and star anise distilled in copper stills, 40–55% ABV, sugar up to 50 g/l; EU geographical indication.
Anís Paloma Monforte del Cid is an EU geographical indication for a dry anise spirit from the province of Alicante in the Valencian Community. Green anise and star anise are distilled in copper stills in spirit of agricultural origin. The strength is 40 to 55% ABV, sugar is no more than 50 g/l, and the drink is clear with a soft taste.
Protected name. The name was entered in the GI register under Regulation (EC) No 110/2008 in category 25, anise spirit drinks; today Regulation (EU) 2019/787 applies. The technical file was submitted by the Regulatory Council of Traditional Spirit Drinks of Alicante, and the agriculture department of the Valencian government oversees it. The label carries the name, the word 'distillation' and a conformity mark with a code.
Production. Anise and star anise are distilled in spirit, with heads and tails discarded; these may be redistilled. The distillate must make up at least 20% of the spirit in the finished drink. Then spirit, natural anise or star anise extracts, water and a little sugar are added to soften the sharpness. After filtering, the drink rests in steel tanks for at least ten days.
History. In the middle Vinalopó valley, in Monòver, Novelda and Monforte del Cid, grapes and anise were grown in the 17th and 18th centuries, and many distilleries operated there. The botanist Antonio José Cavanilles advised flavouring surplus spirit with anise. The first permanent anise distillery in Monforte del Cid was founded in 1895 by Francisco Javier Salas Rodenas.
Why this matters to you. The name 'Paloma' means 'dove' and refers to the milky colour: with cold water, traditionally one part to five, the anethole falls out in tiny droplets, as in ouzo or arak. Old beliefs in the healing power of anise do not make the drink beneficial, since health claims on drinks above 1.2% vol. are banned in the EU. The WHO reminds us that there is no safe amount of alcohol.
Facts
| EU category | category 25 — anise spirit drink; EU geographical indication |
|---|---|
| Legal basis | Regulation (EU) 2019/787; GI technical file, Ares(2017)5491954 |
| Raw material | green anise seed (Pimpinella anisum), star anise (Illicium verum), spirit of agricultural origin |
| Distillation method | in copper stills, heads and tails separated; distillate at least 20% of the drink's spirit |
| Alcohol (% vol.) | 40 to 55% vol.; sugar up to 50 g/l |
How it connects to Spirits
🥃 Anís Paloma Monforte del Cid → affects → 🍷 Alcohol and health ← affects ← 🥃 Spirits
Links
- Packed in
- 🍷 Wine label
- Made from
- 🥃 Anise
- What it affects
- 🍷 Alcohol and health, 🍷 Drunk driving
- Part of
- 🥃 Aniseed-flavoured spirit drink
- Related to
- 📍 Alicante
- Similar and different
- 🥃 Anis, 🥃 Ouzo, 🥃 Arak, 🌿 Pastis, 🌿 Sambuca, 🥃 Herbero de la Sierra de Mariola
Frequently asked questions
Is it true that Anís Paloma helps digestion?
No. This folk belief is mentioned in the technical file too, but health claims on drinks above 1.2% vol. are banned in the EU. It is a strong spirit at 40–55% ABV.
Why is the drink called 'Paloma'?
'Paloma', or 'palometa', means 'dove'. With cold water the drink turns milky white, because the essential oils of anise, mainly anethole, separate into microscopic droplets.
How does Anís Paloma Monforte del Cid differ from the 'anise' category?
EU category 28 'anise' allows a strength from 35% vol. Anís Paloma is registered in category 25 with its own rules: 40–55% ABV, sugar up to 50 g/l, and the distillate making up at least 20% of the drink's spirit.
Where is Anís Paloma Monforte del Cid made?
The GI area is the whole province of Alicante in the Valencian Community. The historic heart is the town of Monforte del Cid and the middle Vinalopó valley.
How much sugar is in Anís Paloma Monforte del Cid?
No more than 50 g/l. The drink is dry, and sugar is added only to soften the bitterness of the alcohol.
What to read next
- 🍷 Alcohol and health — Alcohol in any drink is harmful in large amounts, and the risks grow with the quantity.
- 🍷 Wine label — The sticker on a bottle: who made it, where from, the year and strength.
- 🥃 Anis — Aniseed spirit (EU category 28) flavoured only by anise, star anise or fennel; from 35% vol.; in Slovenian also janeževec.
- 🌿 Sambuca — Colourless anise liqueur: at least 38% vol., at least 350 g/l of sugar and 1–2 g/l of natural anethole.
- 🥃 Herbero de la Sierra de Mariola — A Spanish herbal anise drink with an EU protected name: at least four plants from the Sierra de Mariola mountains in Alicante province, macerated or distilled with spirit; 22–40% ABV.
Similar
🥃 Chinchón · 🥃 Aperitivo Café de Alcoy · 🥃 Absinthe de Pontarlier · 🥃 Cantueso Alicantino · 🥃 Hierbas de Mallorca · 🥃 Tsipouro of Thessaly
⚠️ Spirit drinks contain alcohol and are for adults only. Alcohol harms health. Do not drink during pregnancy or before driving; check the label for ingredients and possible allergens.
Sources
- eAmbrosia (EU GI register), technical file: Expediente técnico de la IG 'Anís Paloma Monforte del Cid', Ref. Ares(2017)5491954 (green anise and star anise distilled in neutral agricultural alcohol; 40–55 % vol.; sugar max. 50 g/l; distillate min. 20 % of final alcohol; min. 10 days rest; province of Alicante; first stable anise distillery in Monforte del Cid 1895, Fco. Javier Salas Ródenas; served 1:5 with water)
- Comunitat Valenciana (official tourism portal): Anís Paloma — Monforte del Cid, botanist Cavanilles, two century-old distilleries; drunk with water, ice or lemon (nuvolet, canari, paloma, palometa)
- Regulation (EC) No 110/2008, Annex III as at 31.01.2020 (legislation.gov.uk): Italy — Aprikot trentino/Aprikot del Trentino (9. Fruit spirit); Spain — Anís Paloma Monforte del Cid (25. Aniseed-flavoured spirit drinks), Aperitivo Café de Alcoy (Other spirit drinks)
- Ministerio de Agricultura, Pesca y Alimentación (Spain): Datos de las bebidas espirituosas con Indicación Geográfica 2022 (Madrid, 2023) — 19 Spanish spirit GIs; Comunitat Valenciana: Anís Paloma Monforte del Cid, Aperitivo Café de Alcoy, Cantueso Alicantino, Herbero de la Sierra de Mariola
- Regulation (EU) 2019/787 on spirit drinks, Annex I: cat. 9 fruit spirit (only fruit, distilled < 86 %, min. 37.5 %, no added alcohol, not flavoured), cat. 25 aniseed-flavoured spirit drink (min. 15 %); Chapter III — geographical indications
- Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 on nutrition and health claims, Art. 4(3): no health claims on beverages over 1.2 % vol.
- WHO/Europe: No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health (04.01.2023)