🥃 Chinchón
Anise spirit from the municipality of Chinchón (Madrid region): distillate of green anise from copper stills; four types, from sweet at 35–40% to seco especial at 70–74% ABV.
Chinchón is a Spanish anise spirit, in the same family as pastis and ouzo, from the town of the same name in the south-east of the Madrid region. It is made by distilling green anise (matalahúva) in copper stills, and it can be sweet or dry. The name is protected in the EU in the category of aniseed-flavoured spirit drinks, and production is allowed only in the municipality of Chinchón.
History. According to the technical file, anise and grapes were widely grown here from the 17th century, and the first document mentioning “aguardiente” is dated 1636. Local producers took the spirit to the world exhibitions in Paris (1889, 1893) and Chicago (1893). In 1991 the geographical name “Chinchón” was recognised by Order 2310/1991 of the Community of Madrid.
Production. The anise seeds are macerated for 12 to 14 hours in a water-alcohol solution, and then distilled in copper stills with a steam jacket: the steam heats the still from outside and does not touch the mass. Only the heart of the distillate at 74–79% ABV is used. At least half of the alcohol and essential oils of the finished drink must come from this anise distillate.
Types. Seco especial — 70–74% ABV, extra seco — 50–55%, seco — 40–50%, all with up to 10 g/L of sugar; dulce — 35–40% and more than 200 g/L of sugar.
Why this matters to you. The dry types of Chinchón reach up to 74% ABV, and the sweet one contains more than 200 g/L of sugar. The mention “100 por 100 Destilado” is reserved for products whose alcohol and essential oils come entirely from the anise distillate. The WHO reminds us that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption.
Facts
| Raw material | green anise (matalahúva, Pimpinella anisum), spirit of agricultural origin |
|---|---|
| Distillation method | copper stills with a steam jacket; heart of the distillate 74–79% |
| Alcohol (% vol.) | dulce 35–40%, seco 40–50%, extra seco 50–55%, seco especial 70–74% ABV |
| EU category | 25 — anise spirit drink |
| Legal basis | EU protected name PGI-ES-02017; regional name since 1991 (Orden 2310/1991, Madrid) |
How it connects to Spirits
🥃 Chinchón → kind of → 🌿 Anise spirits → kind of → 🥃 Spirits
Links
- Made from
- 🥃 Anise
- What it affects
- 🍷 Alcohol and health, 🍷 Drunk driving
- Traditions
- 🧑🤝🧑 Spaniards
- Part of
- 🌿 Anise spirits, 🥃 Aniseed-flavoured spirit drink
- Related to
- 🌍 Southern Europe
- Similar and different
- 🥃 Anis, 🥃 Anisette, 🥃 Ouzo, 🌿 Pastis
Frequently asked questions
How strong is Chinchón?
It depends on the type: dulce is 35–40% ABV, seco 40–50%, extra seco 50–55% and seco especial 70–74% ABV under the specification.
What is the difference between dulce and seco Chinchón?
Dulce has 35–40% ABV and more than 200 g/L of sugar; the dry types contain no more than 10 g/L of sugar.
What is Chinchón made from?
From green anise (Pimpinella anisum), which is macerated and distilled in copper stills together with spirit of agricultural origin.
Is Chinchón the same as pastis or ouzo?
No. They are all aniseed-flavoured spirits, but each has its own rules and strength. Chinchón is a protected Spanish name made only in the municipality of Chinchón, near Madrid.
What does “100 por 100 Destilado” on the label mean?
That all the spirit and all the essential oils in the drink come from the anise distillate, with no other components added.
What to read next
- 🍷 Alcohol and health — Alcohol in any drink is harmful in large amounts, and the risks grow with the quantity.
- 🌍 Southern Europe — The Mediterranean south of Europe — Spain, Italy, Greece, Portugal: sheep's and goat's milk cheeses and most of the world's olive oil.
- 🧑🤝🧑 Spaniards — The people of Spain; flamenco, human towers, Fallas, the world's largest vineyards and over a third of the world's olive oil.
- 🥃 Anis — Anis is an aniseed spirit (EU category 28) flavoured only by anise, star anise or fennel: from 35% ABV, natural flavourings only; in Slovenian also janeževec.
- 🥃 Anisette — Anisette is a sweet anise liqueur. EU law has no separate anisette category, so the liqueur rules apply (at least 15% ABV, at least 100 g/l of sugar). Marie Brizard Anisette is 25% ABV, according to the producer.
Similar
🥃 Hierbas Ibicencas · 🥃 Ouzo of Thrace · 🥃 Ouzo of Kalamata · 🥃 Ouzo of Macedonia · 🥃 Herbero de la Sierra de Mariola · 🥃 Hierbas de Mallorca
⚠️ 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
- MAPA (Spain): Transmisión de una indicación geográfica establecida — CHINCHÓN, PGI-ES-02017, cat. 25 aniseed-flavoured spirit drinks (technical file, 22.02.2018: types seco especial 70–74 %, extra seco 50–55 %, seco 40–50 %, dulce 35–40 % and > 200 g/l sugar; copper stills; distillate 74–79 %; municipality of Chinchón; 1636 document; Orden 2310/1991; "100 por 100 Destilado")
- MAPA (Spain): Listado de indicaciones geográficas protegidas de bebidas espirituosas registradas en la UE — IG Chinchón PGI-ES-02017 (Madrid), 02.07.2026
- WHO/Europe: No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health (04.01.2023)