LIQUID SPIRITS Wherever the destination, a vacation is a special treat, and there’s nothing that goes more perfectly with a sunset as a refreshing tipple. Rather than going for what you know, why not try some of the local spirit? The Enchanting Travels team has a few recommendations! Cachaça is an absolute must-try during your Brazilian vacation! This national drink is a fermented sugarcane juice that is most commonly found in the tropical cocktail of caipirinha! The origins of cachaça is from the country’s Portuguese colonizers, who brought the first sugarcane cuttings from Maderia, over 500 years ago. I personally prefer the dark, ‘premium’ variety of the drink, which is due to the fact it has been aged and takes more flavor from being stored in wooden barrels. Over the centuries, cachaça has had lots of nicknames attached to it, from abre-coração (heart-opener) and água-benta (holy water) to bafo-de-tigre (tiger breath), and even limpa-olho (eye-wash)! I recommend you visit Paraty for a unique opportunity to try cachaça at its best! Fernando Perdomo Trip Coordinator, South America I would be surprised if you came to Chile or Peru and didn’t try pisco! It’s a fabulous grape brandy dating back to the 16th century when the Spanish colonizers introduced vineyards. Just like how wine is assessed, Peruvian and Chilean piscos holds their own D.O. or Denomination of Origin, and produce specific varieties. I suggest you opt for Peruvian pisco as it is still artisan-produced without any additions or alterations. The best way to enjoy this liqueur is to make the cocktail Pisco Sour – just add sugar syrup, egg white, and lime juice. Alternatively, you could try another Chilean favorite, the piscola, which is simply pisco and coca cola. Enjoy! Paul Rae Travel Consultant, South America There’s a fabulous feeling when you are on a houseboat in Alleppey, Kerala, and your captain stops to show you a chap up a coconut tree tapping for the local moonshine. It’s even better when you are given the chance to try it by filling up a bottle and taking it back to the houseboat with you! Toddy is a wonderful alcoholic spirit that is produced from fermented tender coconut juice, so it is believed to be very healthy for your gut, a bit like today’s popular kombucha! Tapping time is a specific art so this experience is on a by chance basis. I once was given the opportunity to climb up the coconut tree, which I jumped to, only to realise that it is much more difficult than you think – the strong and highly skilled toddy tappers make it seem easy! Shruti Patkar Travel Consultant, Asia 60