FIRST JOURNEYS - EUROPEAN EXPEDITION- PIN 06(second stop) OF 40
BLACK PIG DISTILLERY - Costa Alentejana, Portugal
A ROAD TRIP WHERE EVERY STOP HAS A STORY
Today I’m heading into the heart of the Alentejo region, where life slows down and the landscape seems to stretch endlessly towards the horizon. My destination is Black Pig Distillery, a producer whose story is inseparable from the land around it.
For today’s (second) stop, I wanted to focus on the region itself, because understanding Alentejo gives a real insight into what makes this distillery so unique.
The cocktail I’ve chosen once again brings in another Portuguese favourite—White Port—and I’ve created a Gina Paloma.
Why Gina? Because she’s the little piggy featured on the bottle and the perfect inspiration for today's serve!
The countryside of Alentejo is a beautiful patchwork of open plains, rolling hills, vineyards, olive groves and ancient cork oak forests. These landscapes, known as the Montado, are one of Portugal’s most important ecosystems, supporting a remarkable variety of wildlife and traditional farming practices.
Alentejo is one of the world’s most important cork-producing regions, with Portugal producing the majority of global cork. The cork oak tree is harvested by hand every nine years without damaging the tree.
A single oak can produce thousands of wine corks throughout its lifetime, making this slow and sustainable industry an important part of the region’s identity.
Alongside the cork trees roam the famous Iberian Black Pigs, easily recognised by their long snouts, which they use to forage naturally for acorns, herbs and wild plants.
These acorn-rich diets are what make Iberian pork such a prized ingredient, and this deep connection between animal, landscape and flavour is at the heart of Black Pig.
The region also has a more complicated relationship with another tree—the eucalyptus. Originally introduced for ornamental, medicinal and erosion-control purposes, eucalyptus plantations expanded significantly due to Portugal’s thriving paper industry. However, concerns remain over biodiversity loss, water consumption and the increased intensity of wildfires, leading to ongoing efforts to restore more native woodland.
This desire to protect the natural landscape is reflected in Black Pig’s approach.
Founder Miguel Nunes began experimenting with medronho, Portugal’s traditional strawberry tree fruit spirit, before expanding into award-winning gin and rum. Many of the botanicals are connected to the surrounding environment, with the pigs’ natural foraging helping to maintain the ecosystem that inspires the spirits.
Even the base spirit tells the story of the land, using a fermentation of local carob and acorns rather than a more traditional grain base. The result is a gin that feels truly rooted in its surroundings—the forest, the animals and the people all contributing to the final flavour.
Miguel has also been encouraging the planting of native medronho trees, helping to restore traditional woodland while creating a future source of the berries used in this much-loved Portuguese spirit.
Where cork forests, acorn-fed Iberian pigs and native botanicals come together, this gin captures the spirit of Portugal’s wild Alentejo landscape.
Gina Paloma
- 50ml Black Pig Gin
- 50ml White Port
- 50ml grapefruit juice
- Syrup to taste
- Top with soda water for a longer serve
A refreshing Portuguese twist that brings together the citrus flavours of the coast with the character of the Alentejo countryside.
"Show me a bottle and I’ll tell you a story."