A Liquid Jewel from the 1970s: the Marí Mayans Herbal Liqueur Bottle that Survived Time

Some discoveries are worth more for what they evoke than for what they cost. This old bottle of Marí Mayans Ibizan Herbal Liqueur, found in the bar cabinet at my mother-in-law’s house, is a small time capsule that transports us directly from Menorca to the Ibiza of the 1970s. The worn label, the faded colours softened by decades, and the original cap still intact turn this piece into much more than a simple liquor bottle: it is bottled memory.

Marí Mayans is one of the historic brands of the Pityusic herbal liqueurs and an unquestionable part of the gastronomic and emotional heritage of Ibiza and Formentera. This bottle, probably marketed during the 1970s, still preserves that characteristic vintage design, with illustrations of Dalt Vila and typography that today awakens an irresistible nostalgia.

Ibizan herbal liqueur has been, for generations, the essential digestif of family gatherings after meals, made with fennel, rosemary, thyme and other aromatic island herbs. Finding an old bottle also means recovering a way of life: endless lunches, summer conversations around the table and peaceful chats in the shade of the porch.

A true gastronomic and sentimental relic that deserves a special place in any island collection.