Aqara Agave de Los Andes at Tambo 22

Aqara Agave is a premium artisanal agave spirit produced high in the Andes region of Peru. The distillery is located in Caraz, which is just a short distance from the Santa Cruz Lodge. The Santa Cruz Lodge is a project Chef Duarte and Tambo 22 are directly collaborating with. The lodge has helped shape and inspire much of what we do here at Tambo.

Nestled between Black and White Andean mountain ranges, Aqara is blessed with rich soils and beautiful glacial waters. Here grows gorgeous Agave pineapples, which Aqara has turned into one of the finest spirits in the world! These twice distilled spirits have received silver and gold medals in international spirits competitions.

At Tambo, you will find 4 different expressions of Aqara Agave - Plateado, Reposado, Rosa Huandoy, and Sortilegio. The Plateado, similar to a “blanco” for comparison, is gorgeous on it’s own, or can be mixed to make an amazing cocktail. Industry expert, Cristina Vallarino, describes it’s tasting notes as follows:

"AQARÁ Plateado is fresh, seductive on the nose, with flowers, tropical fruits, peach pits, herbaceous and ripe fruit aromas at its end. Friendly and round on the palate with a good, long finish, which makes clear the quality of its alcohol. It has no edges, is passes like silk."

Behind the sticks at Tambo, Brian Corcoran (Co-Owner & Bar Manager) created the “Don Miguel Margarita” to showcase Aqara Plateado. Aqara Plateado, Maracuya (Passion Fruit), fresh lime juice, agave nectar, and curaçao come together in harmony to create a balanced, refreshing, and fun cocktail that still allows the flavor of the Agave spirit to shine through. We also offer a spicy version of the Don Miguel, which infuses Peruvian Rocoto pepper that excites the taste buds on the finish.

Don Miguel Margarita at Tambo 22

Aqara Reposado is aged in American Oak barrels for roughly 4 months, and is the perfect sipping Agave. Tasting notes of toffee, butterscotch, and vanilla shine through with a creamy mouthfeel. At Tambo, we recommend sipping this neat or on a few rocks. In our humble opinion, the perfect way to end a meal at Tambo 22 is with a pour of Aqara Reposado paired with our homemade Alfajores (Peruvian shortbread cookies filled with Dulce de Leche.)

Salud!