The Aguardente de medronhos, Portuguese firewater, is a strong, traditional fruit brandy, derived from the fruit of the tree Medronho, Arbutus unedo, also called strawberry tree. Medronho trees grow wild on poor soils in the rural regions of Portugal, including Alentejo and the Algarve. There is no commercial plantation of trees and fruits are mainly collected by local farmers by hand. Therefore, a good Aguardente is not easy to find in supermarkets, but usually obtained directly from the farmers. Alcoholic product
