Bolivia was seldom in the gastronomic limelight until Noma co-founder Claus Meyer, opened Gustu – part gourmet restaurant, part philanthropic project – in La Paz in 2013. Now its foodie scene is thriving, and that includes booze.
The Spanish planted the first vines here in the 16th century and now high-altitude vineyards are flourishing in the spring-like climate of Tarija, close to the Argentine border.
But Bolivia’s best-kept secret is its one-of-a-kind national tipple singani, an unaged spirit distilled from aromatic white Muscat of Alexandria grapes, believed to be the most genetically unmodified vine in existence. It was first produced in the 17th century for the European residents of the wealthy silver-mining town of Potosí.
“What makes singani unique,” says Jorge Furió, head of production at Casa Real on Tarija’s Ruta del Vino, “is a combination of terroir and method. There’s nothing like singani anywhere else in the world.”
And he blends the traditional process with state-of-the-art technology to extract and preserve the original characteristics of the grape.
The spirit is only just being discovered by an international audience. Film director Steven Soderbergh was so smitten with singani – given to him by the Bolivian casting director on Che – that he began to import his own label Singani 63 to the US and is now looking to expand to London.
It is traditionally drunk with ginger ale and lime in a chuflay, but in Gustu’s bar – the first dedicated solely to singani – it’s mixed, muddled and macerated in creative cocktails.
But it’s no longer the only homegrown spirit they stock. Gin La República, in a choice of Andina or Amazónica, is distilled at over 3,500 metres and a bespoke blend of Andean or Amazonian botanicals is added to the mix, such as fragrant quirquiña and ultra-spicy aji gusano.
The country’s first premium vodka, 1825, is triple-distilled using pure Andean mountain water and high-grown Amazonian wheat, and has already won medals at two major international spirit competitions.
And an increasing number of craft breweries, such as Kushaav, Corsa and Steir, are utilising native ingredients in their beers, such as Inca superfood quinoa, coca and huacatay, a minty herb.
Fortunately, Bolivia also produces award-winning bean-to-cup coffee for the morning after.
