Barbadillo Mixed Rebujito

Manzanilla meets Mojito, and it comes ready-made in a can

In June 2023 Bodegas Barbadillo launched the Barbadillo Mixed Rebujito, a pre-mixed wine cocktail. We all know Rebujito as the long drink based on Fino / Manzanilla infused with Mojito character. Some say it has been invented in Granada in the 1980s, but it owes a lot to the Sherry Cobbler from the Victorian era. Back then it was the typically British mix of Fino sherry, sparkling water, sugar, lemon juice and peeled ice. Nowadays Rebujito is very popular at the yearly ferias in spring.

Barbadillo is not the first company with the idea of pre-mixed drinks based on sherry wine. Gonzalez Byass have a long history with Croft Twist, a similar ready-made spritz or frizzante with a hint of elderflower.

Barbadillo’s Rebujito mix contains around 30% of Manzanilla, sugar, lime and lemon juice and carbonated water. It even comes in a specialized can, developed to protect the delicate qualities of wine-based drinks for at least 12 months.

Barbadillo Mixed Rebujito (4,9%)

There’s a fresh whiff of lime right from the start, with a subtle hint of mint. It does smell like a classic (virgin) Mojito. The wine is noticeable, but definitely in the background. Once you taste it, the balance changes and the Manzanilla becomes much more prominent. It’s perfectly balanced, clearly recognizable but never making it boozy. The gentle fizz suits the wine. I think the Manzanilla is high quality as well (of course), this doesn’t feel like a leftover product. The coastal / savoury character of the Manzanilla matches the sweetness and acidity, making you long for another sip.

Very easy to drink and really accessible: even people who are not necessarily sherry lovers will like this. Good to see it’s not too sweet either, this does feel like a grown-up drink.

Availability: as far as I can see, only in Spain for now. The Barbadillo webshop is selling a pack of 4 cans for € 6. There’s also a large bottle. Yes please!

Summary: This pre-mixed Rebujito from Barbadillo is very tasty and refreshing. The Manzanilla is noticeable but doesn't interfere with the classic mojito flavours. Nicely balanced and fitting the trend to have lower ABV drinks. Now all we need is a wider availability.

Tags: Barbadillo, cocktails, Manzanilla, mixed, Rebujito

About the Author

Ruben is a Certified Sherry Educator who fell in love with sherry some 25 years ago, but switched to a higher gear in 2013 and started writing about it. Lived in Madrid for a couple of years, now back in Belgium. I also run a whisky blog over at www.whiskynotes.be