Around the World in 60 Cocktails: Land of Giants

In the 1500s, Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan led a circumnavigation expedition that brought him to the southern reaches of South America. While exploring the region, he claimed that the native Patagon were giants, reaching heights of up to four meters. It is said that when he spied the naked giants dancing and singing on the shore, Magellan ordered one of his men to make contact (we can only imagine the unwitting emissary’s reaction to this)! Magellan said to be sure to reciprocate the dancing and singing to demonstrate friendship.

Although Magellan’s account of the giants was proved fantastically wrong by John Byron (and later, Sir Francis Drake), there is no doubt that Patagonia remains a giant in terms of travel. Nowhere else on Earth encompasses the same stunning natural beauty: mountains, lakes, fjords, and glaciers to the west and deserts, tablelands and steppes to the east.

As stunning and as smooth as the landscape, this cocktail uses the flavors of the region for a punch that packs a punch!