The Balena Pink Story
Balena Pink was born from the passion of those who know their land and the belief that the finest spirits always tell an authentic story.
We didn't want to create just another gin. We wanted to give liquid form to a story that deserved to be lived, not just remembered.
1943: The Event That Changed Everything
April 1943. War. An eighteen-metre sperm whale washes ashore on the beach of San Giuliano Mare in Rimini. Despite the air raid sirens, people rush to see this majestic creature. As if the sea had chosen to send a message in impossible times.
That moment became part of the city's collective memory. A story of transformation spanning generations.
The Barafonda sperm whale depicted on the Artists' Riverbank in San Giuliano Mare
Eighty years later…
2025: The Story Becomes Gin
Eighty years later, that story takes liquid form. Balena Pink is not just any gin — it's a tribute to that sperm whale, to the Adriatic Sea, and to a city that made transformation its very nature.
Just as that whale changed Rimini forever, our gin changes colour in the glass. From deep blue to soft pink, thanks to the Butterfly Pea flower reacting to the acidity of tonic.
It's not a trick. It's natural chemistry becoming wonder.
About Me
I'm Silvia Bartolini and I've been working in the food and beverage world for over thirty years.
My journey began when I was very young, during the summer seasons on the Romagna Riviera. After graduating, I built my career through A.I.B.E.S. courses and sommelier training. In 2022, I opened the wine shop "Cantina di Mare" in San Giuliano Mare (Rimini), which has become a go-to destination for enthusiasts and visitors alike.
A journey driven by a passion for fine drinking and the desire to celebrate what is deeply rooted in the land.
This is where Balena Pink was born. An artisanal gin that tells the story of the sea, of Rimini, and of the need for transformation.
I wanted to create a spirit that wasn't just good, but that spoke. That knew how to change, just like its colour. That brought the identity of the Riviera into the glass, the scent of its botanicals, and the echo of the story of the sperm whale that washed ashore in San Giuliano Mare in 1943.
Balena Pink is an independent, authentic, contemporary project. True to clear values: craftsmanship, elegance, territory, and vision.
The Balena Pink Identity
The Bottle
Inspired by vintage pharmacies. Thick glass, wooden cap, a label that tells a story. The illustration of the sperm whale among the waves is not decoration: It's memory turned into design.
The Meaning of Pink
The pink of Balena Pink is a manifesto. Fluidity, openness, transformation. A colour that doesn't judge, that includes, that invites change. Like Rimini. Like we should all be.
Our Partnerships
CENTRO STUDI CETACEI APS – E.T.S.
For over forty years, the Centro Studi Cetacei has been at the forefront of marine conservation, protecting cetaceans and sea turtles along the Italian coastline. Its highly trained volunteers respond every time an animal is stranded or trapped, working in partnership with institutions.
At the heart of their work is the "Luigi Cagnolaro" Sea Turtle Recovery and Rehabilitation Centre in Pescara, active for over ten years — where hundreds of turtles have been treated and returned to the sea.
Alongside this, the CSC promotes educational programmes in partnership with schools of all levels, bringing the culture of marine conservation to future generations.
In recent years, volunteers have also been monitoring and protecting Caretta caretta sea turtle nests along the coasts of Abruzzo and Molise, ensuring safety and care through to hatching.
Through the Centro Studi Cetacei, we support those who defend the Adriatic every day: the sea that inspires us, the same sea that lives in every bottle of Balena Pink.
Our Vision
Balena Pink is gin, but it's also something more. It's proof that authenticity always wins over empty marketing. That true stories are more powerful than artificial trends. That watching colour change in a glass is beautiful, but changing your perspective in life is revolutionary.
Every bottle carries eighty years of Rimini's history. Every sip reminds you that transformation is beauty.
Artisanal • Authentic • Revolutionary