Aguardiente

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Aguardiente is the Spanish generic name for alcoholic drinks between 40 and 45 percent alcohol, meaning "fiery water", or, literally "burning water""aguardiente. (De agua y ardiente)" - Real Academia Española dictionary, 22nd edition (as it "burns" the throat of the drinker).

In Mexico it consists of a mix of rum and mezcal, and was supposedly drunk by Mexican leader Antonio López de Santa Anna at the Alamo.

In Colombia, aguardiente is an anise-flavoured liqueur derived from sugar cane, popular in the Andean region. Departments hold the rights to produce it, but aguardiente produced in one region can be sold in another. By adding different amounts of aniseed, different flavours are obtained, leading to extensive marketing and fierce competition between brands. Aguardiente has a 29% alcohol content. Other anise-flavoured liqueurs similar to aguardiente but with a lower alcohol content are also sold. In the Caribbean coast, where rum is the favoured drink, aguardiente has a limited market. Popular brands include (department):

Antioqueño (Antioquia)
Líder (Boyacá)
Cristal (Caldas)
Nectar (Cundinamarca)
Doble Anís (Huila)
Llanero (Meta)
Nariño (before: Galeras)(Nariño)
Quindiano (Quindío)
Superior (Santander)
Tapa Roja (Tolima)
Blanco (Valle del Cauca)

External links

[Aguardiente Tour in Ecuador]

References

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