Hierbas de Mallorca
Mallorcan herbal liqueur, anise-based, infused with wild herbs. Comes in three styles: sweet (dulces), dry (secas) and mixed.
Hierbas de Mallorca is the local digestif: an anise-based liqueur infused with wild herbs collected across the island (rosemary, thyme, fennel, lemon verbena, sometimes camomile and orange peel). It carries its own DOP, Herbes de Mallorca, which protects the name to Mallorcan-made versions. The drink splits into three styles by sweetness: Hierbas Dulces (the sweet, easy-drinking version, around 25% ABV), Hierbas Secas (the dry, higher-proof version, around 35-45%) and Hierbas Mezcladas (a blend of the two). The bottle often comes with whole herb sprigs floating inside, which look impressive and add a steady infusion. Drunk cold and straight after dinner.
How it's served
Cold, straight, in a small glass after dinner. Restaurants often offer it on the house as a chupito (small digestif) at the end of a meal. Best served from a bottle that's been in the freezer; the texture turns slightly syrupy when very cold.
Regional variation
The DOP version is made only on Mallorca. Menorca, Ibiza and the smaller Balearics have their own herb liqueur traditions, but Hierbas de Mallorca is the most famous. The sweet version is the everyday house pour; the dry is for serious drinkers; the mixed is the middle ground.
- Origin
- Mallorca
- Etymology
- Spanish for 'herbs.' In Catalan/Mallorcan the term is Herbes de Mallorca.
- Also called
- herbes de mallorca, hierbas mallorquinas
Frequently asked
What is Hierbas de Mallorca?
An anise-based herbal liqueur from Mallorca, infused with local wild herbs like rosemary, thyme, fennel and lemon verbena. Comes in three styles by sweetness: Hierbas Dulces (sweet, around 25% ABV), Hierbas Secas (dry, 35-45%) and Hierbas Mezcladas (a blend of the two). DOP-protected.
When do you drink Hierbas?
After dinner as a digestif, served very cold and straight from the freezer in a small glass. Many traditional Mallorcan restaurants pour a free chupito at the end of the meal alongside coffee. Also drunk on the rocks in summer as a long aperitif, sometimes with tonic.
Why are there herb sprigs in the bottle?
Slow continuous infusion. Whole branches of rosemary, fennel and thyme inside the bottle keep extracting flavour over time, which is why an open bottle of Hierbas often deepens in colour and intensity over months. The herbs are decorative too; producers compete on how attractive the in-bottle bouquet looks.
Related terms
- EnsaïmadaSpiral-shaped Mallorcan pastry made with pork lard (saïm), dusted with powdered sugar. Plain or filled with cabello de ángel, cream or chocolate.
- Denominación de Origen (DO)Spain's protected geographical indication system for wine and food. Sets rules on what can be made where, how, and from what.