Agua de Valencia: The refreshing cocktail from Valencia
17.11.2023Agua de Valencia or Valencian water” is a delicious cocktail with sparkling wine and orange juice.
The Agua de Valencia (in Valencian, Aigua de València) is a Spanish cocktail with cava, orange juice, vodka and gin. It is usually served in multi-serving jugs and drunk in a Marie Antoinette-esque champagne glass. It was created in 1959 by the painter Constante Gil in the Cervecería Madrid in Valencia.
History and origins of Agua de Valencia
Agua de Valencia was first created in the 1950s by Constante Gil, a bartender from Valencia. Gil conceived the cocktail to create a drink that would reflect the taste of Valencia. The cocktail quickly became popular in Valencia and later became known in the rest of Spain and the world.
Variants of Agua de Valencia
There are many different variants of Agua de Valencia. For example, some people add liqueur or fruit juices to the cocktail. Other people make the cocktail with cava brut or cava rosado.
Similar cocktails in Europe are the French Mimosa or the British Buck's Fizz. However, none of them have as much alcohol as the Valencian cocktail. Yet the sweet taste of oranges and sugar masks the alcoholic taste, making this cocktail “goes in like water,” hence the name. Together with horchata de chufa, these are the most iconic drinks of the Valencian summer.
These are the ingredients for making Agua de Valencia
- Cava (700 ml)
- Freshly squeezed orange juice (300 ml)
- Gin (100ml)
- Vodka (100 ml)
- Sugar (4/5 tbsp)
Place the freshly squeezed orange juice in a jug together with the cava, gin and vodka. Add sugar and mix well. Let it cool and cheers!
Conclusion
Agua de Valencia is a delicious and refreshing cocktail that is perfect for a hot summer day. The cocktail is easy to make and can be varied with different ingredients.