I'm not a big bar guy, and generally don't drink distilled beverages (I do enjoy great fermented libations like very good beer and very good wine.)
But I make an exception in Barcelona. Some years ago, the city enjoyed a revival for certain types of beverages, especially vermouth. In fact, the entire nation of Spain got struck by vermouth mania about three years ago, with Barcelona leading the charge.
Today, you can find the best vermouth in the world house-made in some of Barcelona's coolest and hardest-to-find bars.
Vermouth, of course, is fortified wine enhanced with herbs and bark. And it's also used in a variety of mixed drinks.
A small number of Barcelona mixologists are masters at the art of combining vermouth into a delightful — and delightfully herbal and natural — cocktail, which is pretty much the opposite of your average mixed drink in your average bar.
Several Barcelona bars also make their own amazing gin. Interestingly, gin started out as a medieval medicine. And the gin you find at ordinary bars still does taste both medieval and medicinal — like some kind of industrial solvent.
But some of the gin I've tried in Barcelona is positively delightful in its herbal complexity.
Of course, we're going to spend some quality time enjoying the very best bars in Barcelona during our Barcelona Experience 2017.