Upon her return from her native Bolivia, my minion friend and co-worker Ana presented me with a bottle of the “national liquor” of her homeland: singani.
Singani is technically a brandy – distilled from grapes, not grain, though it is not aged in oak barrels, so it is clear rather than colored. I tasted the singani straight – and I think its flavor profile is closer to a blanco tequila than a brandy. It’s not the same – it’s a more herbal and a little cleaner than most blancos that I’ve had – but that’s what it reminded me of.
Singani
So, I looked online and couldn’t really find many cocktails that used it – other than a pisco sour-like one, but that uses an egg white. Ick.
It’ll be no surprise to those that read the cocktail posts here that I like the Sidecar and its ilk. So, I decided to create a Sidecar like drink using singani. I named it after her hometown.
The Cochabamba Taxi
- 2 oz Casa Real Singani
- 1 oz Citronage (or cointreau)
- 1 oz orange juice
- 1/2 oz lemon juice
- 1/2 oz simple syrup
Combine all ingredients with ice in shaker. Shake vigorously and strain into a cocktail glass.
The Cochabamba Taxi
I’m not sure if you’ll be able to find singani in your local liquor store, so you may have to stop in if you want one. :)
Stevil 
I am making one or five tonight. I have already passed the recipe to all those Bolivian that I know (the whole lot of them) so they can test out this recipe. Next time I’ll bring back a few more bottles to distribute :)
How do they drink singani in Bolivia?
The most traditional drink is a chuflay (with 7-up and lime). In Cochabamba, it is served mixed with fruit juices of the more tart variety (like maracuya) served in shot glasses because it is pretty potent.
Hmm, I love a good scavenger hunt, especially one involving liquor. I’ll have to see if one of the local stores carries singani, which I’ve never heard of before this.
But if you’re willing to keep that glass right there, just as it is, while I make the eight-hour drive down to your house, I’d be happy to give you my opinion on this beverage. :D
HG — you know, I think they’re best made freshly, so just give me five minutes of warning as you’re driving up and we’ll have it ready for you… :)
Save some for when I’m in the area! Sounds delicious. I made a Sidecar variant last night – Between The Sheets, which is Cointreau, brandy, white rum & lemon juice. It was good.
H — that sounds good — do you make that up or on the rocks? I’ve been fooling around with a Cable-Car too — which is a spiced rum variant and uses a cinnamon-sugar rim. Haven’t gotten it quite right for “public” consumption yet… :)
I am willing to be a test subject. Though, all you get out of me is “Is it liquor? Then it’s good!”
Did you take that photo? I think you have missed your calling. Seriously. Food/drinks photographer. You need to give Jamie Oliver a ring.
Thanks B!! I did take that photo — I was pretty happy with it too. I think the thing I’ve learned recently is never use the flash.
I originally read that as the Chupacabra taxi, change the recipe and market it.
Now THAT would be awesome… what do you think about ingredients… goat milk? tequila? blood orange?
Being a brandy, I’d try it in any “brandy” drink combo I’ve had otherwise — since you say it doesn’t quite taste the same, that might be a bad idea ;p Still, that would be the direction I’d take.
MT — most definitely. The classic Sidecar is a brandy drink (and one of my tests of any bar/bartender, along with a Sazerac). I will have to research some other brandy cocktails and do the side-by-side experiments! :)
Tough job–but I have faith in you.
I’ll be right over!
Looks drinkable alright!
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