Lavrador Gin on board: the brand's event on the catamaran and the gin that stays with us

Equipa Lusitana Boat · August 12, 2026

Some events simply taste good. On 11 August 2026, Lavrador Gin brought its team and guests on board the Lusitana catamaran, on the Tagus River, to celebrate the brand where it tastes even better: glass in hand, wind in your face and Lisbon gliding by all around.

And more than the memory of the day stayed with us: Lavrador Gin is now available on board. Anyone sailing with us can taste one of Portugal’s most aromatic gins right there on the Tagus.

Who is Lavrador Gin

Lavrador is a premium Portuguese gin, produced and bottled in Vila de Rei, in the country’s geographical heart — a short walk from the marker that pinpoints the exact centre of mainland Portugal.

The name is a tribute to King Dinis, who granted Vila de Rei its charter and became known as “O Lavrador” (The Farmer) after ordering the planting of the Leiria pine forest. The three founders revived that nickname for a gin that deliberately did the opposite of the obvious: instead of yet another London Dry, a gin with a Mediterranean profile — floral and fresh.

There are nine botanicals, distilled individually and then balanced against each other, in a 47% ABV gin bottled in 700 ml. In the glass you’ll find Portuguese citrus opening things up, warm spices such as cinnamon and cardamom giving it body, and a woody base of olive leaf. It’s a full-bodied gin, but an easy read — the kind you can drink neat, over ice, and lose nothing.

The Lavrador Gin event on board

A private boat is the right setting to present a drinks brand: the whole group shares one space, with no strangers around, and the backdrop changes by the minute. Lavrador set up its flag on deck, the bar served gin and tonics in balloon glasses — ice, lime, nothing more — and guests spread out across the boat, some at the bow, others on the aft sofas.

The Lavrador Gin flag on the catamaran's deck, with guests drinking gin and tonics in the late afternoon on the Tagus

We sailed in the late afternoon, with the light dropping over the river — the best hour for photography, and there was someone shooting. Between conversations and glasses, the boat made its way along the Tagus.

Guests holding gin and tonics, backlit, with the sun reflecting off the Tagus River

For brands, this format works particularly well: it is a corporate event, a brand activation and a photo shoot all at once. If you’re thinking along those lines, see how we run corporate events on board.

The gin stays on board — and ends up in your cocktails

From now on, Lavrador Gin is part of the catamaran’s bar. You can order it:

Neat, over ice — the most honest way to make sense of those nine botanicals.
Gin and tonic — with lime peel and a neutral tonic, so the citrus and cardamom stay up front.
In a signature cocktail — the mix with honey, orange and lemon juice is one of the house’s signatures, and works beautifully at sunset.

A guest sitting at the catamaran's bow at sunset, with the Lavrador Gin flag and the Tagus shoreline behind

It fits naturally into the open bar and cocktails on board, in a welcome toast or to close a sunset cruise on the Tagus. And, just as with the Douro wines partnership, the idea is the same: bringing good Portuguese products onto the river.

Fancy a toast with Lavrador Gin on the Tagus?

Tell us the date, how many of you there are and the occasion — a party, a corporate event, a birthday or simply a well-spent late afternoon — and we’ll build the experience with the gin on board.

Frequently asked questions

Can I drink Lavrador Gin on board the catamaran? Yes. After the brand’s event on board, Lavrador Gin became part of the Lusitana catamaran’s bar. Just ask for it when you book.

Where is Lavrador Gin from? It’s a Portuguese gin produced and bottled in Vila de Rei, next to the central point of mainland Portugal. The name pays tribute to King Dinis, “O Lavrador”.

What does it taste like? It has a Mediterranean profile, floral and fresh — quite different from a London Dry. Nine botanicals, including Portuguese citrus, cinnamon, cardamom and olive leaf. It’s bottled at 47% ABV.

Can we hold our brand launch or activation on the boat? Yes, and it’s one of the formats we most enjoy organising. The boat is private, takes up to 37 guests, and we handle the bar, the catering and the logistics. Talk to us and we’ll put a proposal together.

Do you serve cocktails with the gin on board? We do. We make gin and tonics and signature cocktails on board, with the crew preparing everything during the cruise.