FIRST JOURNEYS - EUROPEAN EXPEDITION- PIN 09 OF 40
VALENTIA GIN - Valencia, Spain
A ROAD TRIP WHERE EVERY STOP HAS A STORY
A short drive north brings me to Valencia, but today I'm not stopping for the gin—at least not at first. I'm here for tomatoes.
Every August, the small town of Buñol, just outside Valencia, becomes the stage for La Tomatina, the world's largest tomato fight. The tradition dates back to 1945, when a scuffle between a group of young people during a local parade escalated into an impromptu food fight using tomatoes from a nearby market.
Somehow the idea stuck, and today the event attracts thousands of visitors from around the world.
The festival lasts for a week, with music, fireworks, food and celebrations filling the streets before the main event. Around midday, a brave volunteer attempts to climb a greased pole to retrieve a prized ham suspended at the top. Once it's claimed—or the organisers decide enough is enough—the starting signal sounds and trucks loaded with tonnes of specially grown tomatoes roll into the square.
For the next hour, the streets become a sea of red. There are only a few simple rules: squash the tomatoes before throwing them, don't bring anything dangerous and stop immediately when the final horn sounds. Moments later, fire engines wash the streets clean, with the natural acidity of the tomatoes helping to remove the stains almost as quickly as they appeared.
Today's gin also celebrates Valencia, but with a distinctly Scottish connection.
Valentia Gin was created by Spanish-born distiller Alfonso Zapata, who later made his home in Fife.
Distilled in small batches in Valencia using sugar cane spirit, water from the Sierra Nevada and locally sourced Valencian citrus, the gin beautifully reflects his two homes.
That connection continues in the bottle itself (which coincidently shared the same mould as Sikkim's as they were both produced by the same Spanish group).
Look closely at the label and you'll find a heart formed from the Spanish and Scottish flags—a simple but thoughtful symbol of Alfonso's affection for both countries.
Although proudly distilled in Spain, Valentia has long been available exclusively in Scotland, making it a rather fitting bottle to include on this European journey.
With Valencia famous for tomatoes, there really was only one cocktail I could make...
From the world's biggest food fight to a gin that unites Spain and Scotland, today's stop in Valencia is full of colour, character and Mediterranean sunshine.
Tomatini
- 50ml Valentia Gin
- Tomato water or clarified tomato juice
- Dry vermouth
- Pinch of sea salt
A savoury Martini that raises a glass to one of Spain's most wonderfully eccentric festivals.
"Show me a bottle and I’ll tell you a story."