14/01/2024
When you think of Latin American culture, food is often the first thing that comes to mind. However, the world of cocktails and alcoholic spirits is just as vibrant and integral to the culture as the food. From fascinating origin stories to the breath-taking countries in which they were first created, our top 3 cocktails will sweep you away on a journey of tropical discovery!
What makes the perfect Margarita? In our opinion, its high-quality tequila! Tequila has a fascinating history in Mexico, crafted from Agave plants hand-harvested by “Jimadores”. This harvesting process is a huge part of Mexican heritage and offers a beautiful story of tradition and culture.
Tequila gets a bad rep here in the UK as many supermarkets stock low-quality tequila containing additives and sugars, meaning the authentic and earthy flavours get lost. Top tip: if the label doesn’t read 100% Agave tequila, its best to say, Adios!
A typical Margarita consists of tequila, orange liqueur, lime juice and sugar syrup, which creates a delicious sweet and sour balance to compliment the tequila. It’s a blend that has been approved by the majority. Yet, a huge population of cocktail enthusiasts actively seek more interesting and complex flavours than the traditional ones, encouraging creative mixologists like us to explore new and daring creations.
A popular trend is to add a spicy kick by infusing South American Jalapenos and other Chilli’s into homemade syrups. This bold and exciting twist is becoming an increasingly popular trend and is one of our favourite flavour combinations.
Why not try one of our own spicy Margs available on our online shop
Caipirinhas are a classic Brazilian cocktail made with Cachaca, a clear, distilled spirit made exclusively in Brazil from fresh sugarcane juice. Around 30% of Cachaca production is from small-batch distilleries, but even the largest distributers face challenges in bringing their product to the UK. Like Tequila, quality Cachaca is not widely available in the UK.
Described as an agricultural spirit, Cachaca has a distinctive taste that reflects its place of origin. Many distilleries are located in the coastal rainforest mountains of Brazil, which imbue the spirit with a unique blend of sweetness from the sugarcane, saltness from the ocean, and savoury flavours from the rainforest grasses.
To prepare a Caipirinha, a simple recipe is followed which enhances the spirits complex flavour by adding lime and sugar, resulting in a truly exotic and delectable cocktail.
Pisco Sour is named from its base spirit, Pisco. A clear artisanal spirit made from fermented grapes in Latin American countries Chile and Peru. The production process involves stomping on the grapes and transferring them into copper or glass containers for fermentation – usually for seven days. This process ensures the delicious flavour of the grapes remains pure without being altered by oak barrels.
The flavour of the pisco is determined by the type of grape used and the region of production. With over 10 distinct grape varieties, Pisco is a highly versatile spirit that is perfect for mixing cocktails.
There’s no doubt that the type of Pisco used in a Pisco Sour is a topic of much debate. However, we swear by the Acholado Pisco, because of its fruity and floral flavour profile. To create the perfect blend, we combine the Pisco with fresh lime juice for a hint of citrus, sugar syrup to add sweetness, egg whites for a smooth texture, and angostura bitters for a slightly bitter touch. The result is an exotic cocktail that’s both sweet and velvety smooth, and absolutely delicious.
We hope you enjoyed exploring our top 3 traditional Latin American cocktails and their spirits.
There are so many other variations and amazing Latin American flavours that we can’t wait to share with you in future blogs and our menus.