Cantueso is a liquor made in the Spanish province of Alicante.[1]
It is obtained from the distillation of the flowers and peduncle (botany) of the thyme plant Thymus moroderi and grain alcohol. Cantueso typically contains between 25% and 35% alcohol, with 100 grams of sugar per liter, giving it its characteristic, very sweet flavor, and a color that runs from transparent to brownish-gray. Given its sweet flavor, it is usually taken after meals, as a stomach tonic.
Cantueso must rest for at least two months, then is aged in wood casks during a period of at least two years. Its production is regulated by the denominación de origen "Distilled spirits of Alicante," along with anise paloma, herbero, and the café licor of Alcoy.