Food and Drink Sara Martinez
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Cocktails that taste of destinations

From Gijón to Costa Rica, with stop-offs in Madrid and Buenos Aires, four cocktail bars have revolutionised the world of mixology. You can visit them from 9,000 Avios (return flight).

  1. 1 90s-style Varsovia Bar, paired

    In 2011, Borja Cortina revived the Varsovia Bar, a benchmark of 1990s nightlife in a Modernist building in Gijón with beautiful views of the bay.
    Marcos Morán (from the Michelin-starred restaurant Casa Gerardo) has just come on board to create a gastro-pairing experience in which each cocktail and its dish make the perfect couple. The experience can be enjoyed in two options: the short option (with five cocktails and five snacks) can be enjoyed at Varsovia; the long one – a set menu comprising nine tasting plates and nine cocktails – is offered at Casa Gerardo.

    Borja Cortina, mixologist, and Marcos Morán, chef, have partnered to offer a gastro-pairing experience at the Warsaw Bar in Gijón and Casa Gerardo in Prendes.
    Gochu meatball (pork), potato and pickles with Caipiroja Passion (cachaça, a float of red wine and Schweppes Orange & Lychee).

  2. 2 Cool cocktails for the summer at Diego Cabrera’s Salmon Gurú

    Salmon Gurú is the first Madrid bar on the list of The World’s Best Bars. Diego Cabrera and Ricardo García are the creators of a concept that invites guests to travel across Asia, the Americas and Europe through their blended drinks. The bar’s unique decor is a strong indication that bold and daring cocktails are made there. In addition, there is a menu of shared plates that pair perfectly with their cocktails. Bartender Diego Cabrera – an essential name in Spanish mixology – suggests the Tónico Sprenger, Honey Moon and Guaracha for this summer.

    Diego Cabrera’s daring cocktails at Salmon Gurú, in Madrid’s Barrio de las Letras district.
    The Tónico Sprenger (left) has gin, cardamom, lemon juice, cinnamon, cucumber, syrup and ginger beer; the Honey Moon (right) has pisco, mezcal, elderberry liqueur, chartreuse, lemon juice and wildflower honey.

  3. 3 Seba García, Buenos Aires’s cocktail President

    The President cocktail bar in Buenos Aires’s central Recoleta district has prepared cocktails for celebrities like Leo Messi, Michael Bublé and the members of Coldplay. Its creator Seba García has dreamed up a menu that combines classics such as the Negroni with mixtures that include indigenous ingredients from local suppliers. The bar – inspired by The Great Gatsby and speakeasies – features very unusual rooms. The most sophisticated of all is the Presidential Room or Library, a separate space offering exclusive spirits from the world over.

    The Presidente cocktail bar in Buenos Aires’s central district of Recoleta has prepared cocktails for personalities such as Leon Mess, Michael Bublé and members of Coldplay.
    Buenos Aires Zombie: rum, Triple Sec Carajo, Pineral and tropical syrup, served in a tiki mug – Image by James Rajotte.

  4. 4 Costa Rica’s Chiliguaro, by popular request

    One December night back in 2011, a man ordered guaro (a sugar-cane based distilled liquor) with hot sauce while at the bar in Bar Bahamas, in the country’s capital. Another customer saw it and wanted to try the new combination, and before the bar’s owners – Mauricio Azofeifa and Luis Pablo – knew it, everyone was toasting with it. Perfected with other ingredients, the Chiliguaro quickly spread across the entire country and is now the national cocktail. By the third round, you don’t notice the heat.

    The Chiliguaro, Costa Rica’s national cocktail, was invented at the Bahamas bar in the capital.
    What it’s made of: guaro, tomato juice, lime juice and Tabasco sauce. Serve in a salt-rimmed shot glass – Image by James Rajotte.

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