Craft cocktails in Madrid
Macera Taller Bar is quickly becoming one of my favorite cocktail bars in Madrid. While most other bars think the secret to success is trying to fit as many bottles of “premium” gin behind the bar as possible, Macera Taller Bar takes a different route and creates its own infused spirits which it then expertly blends into incredibly good cocktails.
Think of it as slow food, but for cocktails. First, they take high-quality locally-produced vodka, gin, whiskey, and rum and then infuse them with thoughtful combinations of fresh and dry herbs, rinds, and seeds to create concoctions like rosemary and thyme gin, ginger and apple vodka (I believe that's what it was), or rum with natural vanilla. For mixers, you have your normal staples like tonic, soda water, soft drinks, and juices, but they also have a few surprises up their sleeves like homemade lemon/lime soda or homemade ginger ale which, when mixed with the ginger vodka, makes for one of the tastiest and most dangerous cocktails I’ve had in a good while.
If you ever have any doubts about what to choose, just ask the bartenders. They’re all very friendly and passionate about making drinks that you’ll enjoy so after ascertaining your tastes, they’ll mix up something special. The best part? All of the cocktails are only 7 euros. That’s saying something now that the gin and tonic craze has swept Madrid and prices are regularly in the 10 to 15 euro range. Seriously, if you’re looking for a solid cocktail with a cool and friendly atmosphere, I’d head to Macera.


