The Cervia of the 1960s was nothing like the one we know today. Back then, its beaches were still quiet and uncrowded; the tree-lined avenues offered shade and silence, while the town seemed suspended between the memory of the past and the promises of the future. It was a genuine Cervia, still deeply connected to its land and roots, yet ready to embrace the first signs of an epochal transformation.
In those years, the pinewood was not just a place to pass through: it was a living part of the city, a true extension of the beach and the homes.
The intense scent of resin and pine needles accompanied anyone who ventured inside, offering a unique sensory experience. Despite the still-visible scars of war, the pines were growing back thick and lush, almost as if to protect those D'Annunzio verses that Palanti, the founder of Milano Marittima, had chosen for his villa:
“The sea sings a love song in the white full moon to the pinewood.”
But if the pinewood was the green soul, the salt pans were — and still are — the beating heart of Cervia.
A place steeped in history, hard work, and pride. In the 1960s, even the salt pans began to change: the ancient harvesting method was gradually replaced by more modern techniques. It was an inevitable evolution that disrupted the lives of the salinari, guardians of an ancient knowledge.
Yet even today, along the brackish canals, traces of that past remain: the burchielle, small traditional boats, and salicornia — a wild plant with a salty, intense flavor — symbol of an era that refuses to be forgotten..
It was in this setting that Armando arrived, a young man from the mountains, originally from Roncofreddo.
With courage and determination, he chose Cervia as the place to build his family’s future.
Together with his wife Mafalda and their children Gigliola, Loretta, and Roberto, he embraced the challenge, contributing with hard work and enthusiasm to the revival of a city in transformation.
Armando saw the changes in the land as an opportunity - and with a pioneering spirit - he seized it.
Gin Armando is not just a gin: it’s a liquid tale, a sensory journey through Salt Pans and Pinewood, between past and present, between scents and memories. It is a tribute to that man and his vision, but also to a Cervia that perhaps no longer exists, except in the stories of those who lived it.
Close your eyes and savor: you can almost feel the salty breeze of the salt pans, the balsamic aroma of pine needles, and imagine Armando as he gazes for the first time upon the Adriatic coast, dreaming of the future to come.
Gin Armando is an artisanal London Dry Gin, crafted with selected botanicals that tell the story of the land: juniper, salicornia, coriander, basil, rosehip, and pine needles. Its aromatic profile is rich and deep, while the taste remains smooth, with a clean and slightly savory finish thanks to the presence of salicornia.
It can be enjoyed neat and chilled as a digestif, or as the base for an elegant and original Gin & Tonic. A Mediterranean tonic is recommended to enhance its natural character.
