Canning's - from the distillery

The blog.

Stories and guides from Ribeira Brava: the island, its botanicals, and how to drink them.

A coral-red gin cocktail over ice cubes with a tangerine twist, in a highball glass

Pitanga cocktails: mixing a fruit you cannot buy

Fresh pitanga never reaches the shops, so a pitanga cocktail starts with a gin distilled with the fruit. Serves and recipes from Canning's, Madeira.

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The award-winning Portuguese gins with an IWSC Gold

Only three Portuguese gins hold a verified IWSC Gold - Azor in 2017, Canning's in 2018 and Balancal in 2024 - and two are distilled on Madeira.

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Friends talking over drinks on a cliffside terrace above the sea at sunset

Madeira Wine Festival 2026: what to expect

The Madeira Wine Festival runs 23 August to 13 September 2026 - the Wine Lounge in Funchal, and the traditional grape treading in Estreito de Câmara de Lobos.

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A ribbed red pitanga fruit hanging from a leafy branch

What is the pitanga fruit?

The pitanga fruit - the Surinam cherry - is a small ribbed berry that ripens deep red: delicately tart, lively, and a botanical in Canning's Madeira gin.

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