This factory was created in 1883 by the brothers Josep, Baldomero and Antonio Ribera, who were Collectors of the village of Conques, in Pallars Jussà, who moved to La Pobla de Segur, where they set up a small distillery leria for the production of spirits and liqueurs. Years later, Josep Ribera moved the factory to its current location, in the old Carrer del Vall, today known as Avinguda de Sant Miquel del Pui.
In 1949, Joan Portet entered into a partnership with the descendants of Josep Ribera and later bought the rest of the company and the building. Currently his sons Carlos and Àngel run the company, which has completed 131 years of life.
In the past, many liqueurs were made, which have disappeared today, such as cocoa and coffee creams or Stomacal.
When bulk liquor was banned, many factories closed down as when we go to the market we tend to buy well-known brands. Proof of this is that, in the regions of Lleida, out of 23 factories, two remained, the one in Cervera and ours, both producing ratafia, a traditional product rooted in the territory that allows us to move forward since there are no large multinationals that prepare them. Currently, one of the closed ones has reopened, in Guissona, and a fourth has opened in Os de Balaguer. All 4 of us make ratafia.
Our factory lasted for a while making, alone, ratafia and anise for pastry chefs or for people who use it to make ratafia.
A few years later, from the Val d’Aran they asked us to make a liqueur that is traditional there and is known as Aigua de Nodes or walnut liqueur (like brandy or aigua del Carmen, all products with alcohol. It was quite successful. Later we were asked to make a cassis or blackcurrant liqueur which has been a great success.
After these two successful liqueurs, we made another one with forest fruits and one with spiders, similar to a paxaran, but with more graduation and sweeter, made in the Val d’Aran way.
The latest products are a brandy with vines, an orange liqueur and a licorice liqueur. We are working on a range of ratafies that are older, more rested and with other fruits, such as apples from Alta Ribagorça or pine cones harvested in the forests of Andorra.
We also make ratafies and liqueurs à la carte. For example a ratafia by the prestigious house of Galetes Trias in Santa Coloma de Farners, made with a recipe agreed with them.
On the occasion of the company’s 125 years, we produced a special Ratafia, with wine spirits aged in our cellar for more than 50 years and rested for 21 months, which won a Gold Medal at the Concours Mondial in Brussels in 2011 The only gold medal in spirits from the entire Spanish State and one of the 55 awarded worldwide.
