Media: Las Provincias
Original tittle: La ginebra que sabe a Valencia
Author: Santi Hernández
Date: 19th Juny 2025

The gin that tastes like Valencia

The innovative proposal of a group of entrepreneurs based on Vicente Todolí’s citrus garden in Palmera.

I could not have imagined that behind Sylex Citric Gin there was such an original idea, where the roots of our Mediterranean were so present and where citrus fruits were the protagonists. You don’t have to be very clever to know that a good gin and tonic is usually accompanied by a touch of citrus, but on this occasion citrus is the soul and essence of this gin. We are entering another dimension. Discovering Sylex Gin has meant discovering the Todolí Citrus Fundació. And it is this initiative that makes it special and unique, at least for me. A foundation located in the town of Palmera, which conserves more than 400 species of citrus and which was created for the research and conservation of citrus biodiversity, as well as to promote its use and knowledge in our society.
Well, this is what Josep Alfaro, Juan Boluda, Jaume Pastor and Adrián Pastor wanted to transmit through this gin. We want to know the origin, the essence and the reasons why they have had this wonderful idea to create a gin with so much personality, which in turn imbues us with who we are. A gin that is implicitly responsible for carrying out the cultural and gastronomic transmission that the foundation seeks to achieve.

When and how was Sylex born? What aspects cause such an interesting link to the territory?

Sylex Citric Gin was born as a spin-off of another project, when we realised that we had to modify our product in a market saturated with gins with empty stories, and there was no other way than to link it to our area and to the products and ingredients we know between La Safor and La Marina Alta. We didn’t want to make a gin that just tastes good, but one that tells a story, our story. That of a Mediterranean land, rich, intense and full of authentic ingredients…

Indeed, this makes Sylex Gin unique within the craft distillates scene, but to what extent do its ingredients – sourced from Todolí Citrus – define its aromatic personality and Mediterranean spirit?

Obviously what makes Sylex unique is the combination of its ingredients, although it has a classic gin base, the 5 varieties of citrus fruits selected from the Todolí Citrus Fundació, together with the touch of samphire, are what make it a profoundly Mediterranean gin.

Where does the name Sylex come from, what symbolism is behind this name and how does it reflect your vision of a gin with roots, with memory and with a strong geographical identity?

Sylex refers to the origin of the first artisanal materials, like our project, which was born out of an obsession for the origin. Global Needs Local’ is one of our basic premises as a brand.

Beyond the taste, what story do you want to tell with each glass of Sylex Gin? What values does your gin convey that connect it to the land, art and culture?

The story of our Mediterranean culture, about quality and the lifestyle that makes us so particular. With the current risk of not being able to distinguish the real from the artificially generated, we advocate to be present, to generate interesting conversations between real people.

Tell us about the Sylex distillation process: what techniques do you use and how do you manage to keep the botanical character and respect for the local product intact in each bottle?

We distil in a copper still in small batches, only in the season when citrus fruits are available, taking advantage of their freshness to keep all their properties intact. Three distillations are made, the first distilling the base of a classic gin, with juniper, cardamom and other classic botanicals. Discarding the head and tail, it is distilled a second time, adding all the citrus and in the last part, with the same process, the samphire is added.

What was the biggest challenge in creating a gin that was not only sensorially rich, but also coherent with the agricultural, artistic and cultural ideology promoted by the Todolí Foundation?

Well, the first time we went in there, to be honest…. Our heads exploded. We already knew Vicente’s trajectory, but we couldn’t imagine what everything we came across was like, every variety we tasted, it was like opening a book of sensory notes. So we got back in touch with them and spent more than a year researching and tasting. During that time, the entire team of the Todolí Citrus Foundation accompanied us with generosity and enthusiasm and we are very grateful to them. Their passion for preserving and sharing a collection of citrus fruits that is unique in the world has been key to shaping Sylex Gin. In the end, the biggest challenge was to keep the citrus in, as it is the most important part of the recipe, so we sampled countless times until we came up with the unique recipe we now have.

It is clear that Sylex Gin is not just a distillate, it is an experience. How would you like it to be consumed? What ritual or ideal pairing do you dream of when you imagine someone discovering it for the first time?

We always recommend that, for a first time, people enjoy it with a classic gin and tonic, with a neutral tonic to be able to feel all its nuances, if possible at midday and accompanied by any typical savoury aperitif of our land, which offers us an incredible combination.

What has been the public’s reaction to Sylex Gin, and have you noticed an emotional connection with the origin of the product beyond its technical quality?

Sylex Gin is still a little-known brand, but it’s true that in the places where it is consumed, people always repeat, and that’s something that excites us. I understand that, if there is a connection with what it represents, but also because of the quality of the ingredients and the artisanal distillation process.

What is the target consumer profile for Sylex? Are you looking to seduce the public that values culture, art and the local or do you also want to break down barriers and reach out to bartenders and innovators?

We don’t set limits for both. It is a gin that can appeal to a wide range of people, but because of its unique ingredients, it can be used in a very creative way by bartenders and even chefs to make gastronomic creations.

What pairings do you recommend to enjoy it, do you think of cocktails inspired by art or culture, or do you prefer to promote a ‘pure’, slow and conscious tasting?

As we have said before, a good gin and tonic in certain circumstances is unrivalled, but a negroni is a classic that combines very well with Sylex. Or even the version of the pisco sour, (Sylex Sour) that we make, having such an important citrus base, is impressive.

Can we expect new editions of Sylex in the future that continue to explore ingredients from the Foundation’s botanical garden or collaborations with artists or chefs?

I think we are leaning more towards collaborations with artists or chefs, given the authenticity of Sylex as it is now. But what is certain is that our relationship with the Foundation will be a long-lasting one.

If you had to define Sylex Gin with a single word that sums up its philosophy, its taste and its origin… what would it be and why?

Obviously I think the word that best represents us is: origin. Because of everything we have mentioned, since it is the basis of our project.