When I asked my friend if she thought Chinchón was interesting, she replied: “To drink or to visit?” My friend, like most Spaniards, associates two things with the town of Chinchón: its beautiful portico square, or Plaza Mayor, and Anís de Chinchón, the aniseed liqueur made exclusively in that town and commonly known as Chinchón.

“Both”, I said, so I suggested we go back there to see how things were. I was looking to enhance my tours to the Madrid wine region with complimentary activities, and I thought a visit to Chinchón might be a very good option.

This picturesque town is located near Madrid (45 km/28 mi)) in the middle of olive and wine fields. It’s definitely worth a visit, not only to taste the local drink, anis, but also because of the unique “round square” (the Plaza Mayor) its castle and church, and all the beautiful ancient buildings along its narrow and steep streets. Other things to enjoy, besides anis, are wine, tapas and all of the town’s local products in one of the numerous bars, restaurants, mesones and taverns.

So we went there on a beautiful winter Sunday morning. We’d been there before, since it is a nice day trip from Madrid, but this time we were going to look with a critical eye and take notes. (First tip: During the summer it’s better not to go during the weekend since it is kind of crowded. So forget about all those tourist guides that say it’s off the beaten path. It is very common for people from Madrid to go there to spend the day strolling and having a nice lunch – Chinchón is well recognized as a place for good traditional food.

Anis or anisette from Chinchón 

Anisette gets its name from the anise seed, or aniseed, responsible of the distinctive licorice flavor of this liqueur. Almost every country in the Mediterranean has its own version of an aniseed-based spirit: sambuca in Italy; ouzo in Greece, raki in Turkey, arak in Lebanon, and even pastis in France. Anise is mainly used for its intense and pleasing aroma.

In Chinchón the tradition comes from the 16th century, when large numbers of vineyards where planted. All the grape growers have their own facilities where they make their own wine and distill their own spirits using anise grown in the area. Medium-grade distilled wine alcohol is first marinated with green anis seeds, and then is redistilled in copper. The result is a transparent liquid, free of suspended particles. There are three varieties, each with a different alcohol content: special dry (70-74%), dry (40-45%) and sweet, made with sugar added to the distillate (35-40%).

Because of its extraordinary quality, Chinchon was named a “Royal House Provider” by the Queen Maria Cristina in the 19th century, and anis from Chinchón obtained the gold medal at the Universal Exposition in Chicago in 1893 and in Paris in 1900. It was the only brandy wine to earn the Great Medal of Honor in Paris in 1889. 

It is the perfect drink to have as a digestive after a meal, served at room temperature mixed with water, on the rocks, or added to tea or coffee. It can be used as well for making sweets. Traditionally men mix it with brandy, calling it sol y sombra (sun and shade), drinking it after lunch with coffee and a cigar while they play cards in the local bar. Some people drink it in the morning – they claim it warms you up and it boosts your energy level.  

But the real Chinchón drinkers in Spain are older women, ladies who drink it just for its curative properties or as a digestion aid – or so they say. They also use it as a relaxant, and even say it keeps you young. Years ago women didn’t go to bars as much as men, so they met at home and would drink Chinchón or other anisettes. Since everybody in Chinchón everybody drinks anis, don’t refer to it as a drink for old ladies – nobody will agree or admit it. 

Now there is just one Chinchón distillery in town, Alcoholera de Chinchón, belonging to the famous group Gonzalez-Byass, makers of wine, brandy and different liquors. Since it is not open for visits or tastings, the best place to taste Anis de Chinchón is in the local bars, where you can see the different products and get a tasting session with all the explanations you may need from any local folk – the older the better. 

The town 

Hotel Condesa de Chinchón

Lovely green-painted wooden balconies on three-story houses and Chinchón’s imposing 16^th-century church, Nuestra Señora de la Asunción (Our Lady of Assumption), surround the arcaded Plaza Mayor, or Main Square, that is the town’s primary attraction. When strewn with sand, it is sometimes used as a bullfighting arena. A painting by the famous Spanish painter Goya can be found in the church, and although the interior of the 15^th-century castle at the top of the hill is closed to the public, the views from its ramparts are awesome. Years ago, the old distillery, where they made the local anis, was located there.  

One of the nicest things to do in Chinchón is to walk around the old streets admiring the houses with their patios, old doors, balconies and coats of arms, then browse the stores with their handcrafted items and local products. When you tire, just sit down, preferably outside on a terrace or balcony in the square, have a drink, relax and watch life in Chinchón. 

Chinchón has had its share of illustrious visitors – the painter Goya and the movie director Orson Wells were both in love with the place. Wells went there in the mid-60s to make two films, The Immortal Story and Chimes at Midnight. He liked to have his anis shots in the morning with the locals, and enjoyed enormously the food and the bullfights. Goya spent a lot of time here painting – his brother was a priest in the town – and he lived close to the famous Duchess of Alba, supposedly the model of two of his most famous paintings, Las Majas. With and without her clothes, she was reportedly a very good friend of his. 

Food and Festivals 

Chinchón is well known for its food, but as in any touristy place not all the restaurants are a good value. The places in the main square are usually good, and it’s really nice and romantic to eat in one of the balconies. If you go during the weekend it is better to make reservations. We know and we like La Balconada and Mesón de la Virreina. The Parador, an accommodation located in a former convent, offers good local gastronomy and it is a fine place to overnight.  

As part of our research we decided to investigate a famous place, Mesón Cuevas del Vino, the site of several of the famous cuevas or caves typical of the area. These are underground cellars, or bodegas, where wine is stored in huge earthenware jars called tinajas. There’s a charge for the visit to the cuevas that includes a tasting of the wine made there. 

Although the whole place was nice and representative of a typical cueva, we found the wine to be not good at all. The food was fine but expensive according to our standards. They don’t have a wine list, only house wine, or “wine from a box,” that they serve in a glass jar. So if you are a wine enthusiast and are interested in Spanish wines, don’t go there. You’ll be extremely disappointed and we will loose our reputation as a wine country. My friend kept saying, “Thank God we are alone and not on a wine tour.” You can see cuevas in other places in Chinchón and have good wine elsewhere.  

Every year in the spring, usually in April, there’s a weekend dedicated to the Local Products Fair. Area producers set up their stands in the square so everybody can taste and enjoy Chinchon’s famous anis, wine, garlic, olive oil, cheese and sweets, with interesting names like pelotas de fraile or tetas de monja (friar’s balls or nun’s tits). The local feast St James (Santiago)on the 25^th of July is always celebrated with a bullfight in the main square.