pacharán (also spelled patxaran) is a sloe liqueur, originally from the north of Spain. This digestive, very popular throughout the country, is the result of the maceration of sloe berries (Prunus spinosa) in a sweetened, anise-flavored distillate. A close cousin to sloe gin, it is said to have been first made in the Navarra region, where its production is covered since 1988 by a protected geographical indication. See sloe gin. Its governing body claims the first pacharáns date from the fifteenth century. It was initially a homemade liqueur, and it’s not until the 1950s that commercial brands appeared and popularized it outside regional confines. See home distilling.
See also aperitif and digestive.
Pacharán Navarro. http://www.pacharannavarro.org (accessed March 5, 2021).
By: François Monti