Jabugo, the town that knows Cinco Jotas
Ja-bu-go. Three syllables that resonate in the minds of all food enthusiasts. For us, for Cinco Jotas, these three syllables represent a universe where elements that make up our DNA come together: tradition, nature, history. The town of Jabugo is all this and much more.
The connection of this town, with around 3,000 inhabitants, located within the Natural Park of Sierra de Aracena and Picos de Aroche (Huelva, Andalusia), with Iberian ham has much to do with the history of Cinco Jotas. It was in 1879 when the local entrepreneur Juan Rafael Sánchez Romero opened a slaughterhouse and ham curing facility in Jabugo, which would become the seed of our brand.
When visitors arrive in Jabugo, it takes them no more than five minutes to perceive the importance of Iberian ham in their daily life. Many visitors come to Jabugo solely attracted by its name, which they quickly associate with a unique product. If these visitors decide to venture into the Cinco Jotas cellar, the surprise is overwhelming. They don’t expect such a particular experience, in a unique environment, a building full of history, and such a delicious learning experience around our 100% acorn-fed Iberian ham.
The climate of the town of Jabugo is essential for Cinco Jotas. Our cellar and our dehesas could not have been created in any other location. This town is situated at 650 meters above sea level and boasts an ideal, perfect, and unrepeatable microclimate for raising Iberian pigs and curing hams: summers with maximum temperatures between 25 and 30º, winters with minimum temperatures of 5º, and an annual average that doesn’t exceed 17º. Cool autumns and winters, with abundant rainfall but far from the harshness of snow and ice. Our drying rooms are located at the highest points of the mountain range, where they receive the necessary visits from the cold northern winds.
Stone-paved streets, traditional whitewashed houses, and much tranquility. This is Jabugo, the only town in Spain whose main gathering point, its main square, is named Plaza del Jamón. A true tribute.
After exploring the streets of Jabugo and enjoying the Cinco Jotas cellar tour and its dehesas, we can make the most of the trip and discover spectacular corners and other beautiful towns in the Sierra de Aracena region. Castles like Almonaster la Real, the only one in Spain that has a mosque within its walls, the quiet streets of towns like Fuenteheridos and Alájar, and a must-see: the Gruta de las Maravillas in Aracena, with a route of more than two kilometers through its galleries and lakes.
