Orujo

Orujo is an ancient Spanish pomace brandy that is enjoyed throughout the country, but it is usually associated with northern Spain—namely Galicia, León, and Asturias. In its basic form, orujo comes as a clear, strong spirit with an alcohol content that varies between 40-50%.

The drink is occasionally aged or infused with various ingredients such as herbs and fruits. It is usually served in shot glasses, locally known as chupito, and is best enjoyed as a digestif, which is meant to be slowly sipped. In the past, it was mostly home-produced, but in recent years many factory-produced orujo brandies appeared on the market.

Except neat, this grape brandy is occasionally mixed with coffee, and it also makes a base of the popular Galician queimada—a flambéed drink which combines orujo, sugar, lemon, and coffee beans.