20 DEPARTURES TRAVEL ON
20 DEPARTURES TRAVEL ON LOCATION The Basilica Cathedral of Arequipa; below: the Monastery of Santa Catalina The shrubby deserts surrounding Arequipa altiplano, the ascending path reveals magnificent landscapes and culminates in beautiful lagoons and salt flats, home to flamingos, alpacas, vicuñas, llamas and guanacos. For a spectacle that is partially manmade, the otherworldly La Ruta del Sillar centres on outsized ancient quarries with replicas of monuments carved in the remaining stone. Retail Therapy The region produces the best quality spun-and-processed alpaca as all as the wonderfully silky vicuña wool. Near the central plaza, a maze of cobbled streets is home to cafes and open arcades with small stores selling all manner of high- and lowquality Peruvian goods, from silver jewellery to textiles. To find the best knitwear, head to Kuna (kunastores. com), one of the country’s leading alpaca and vicuña brands which has three locations in Arequipa; Sol Alpaca (solalpaca.com), which purveys sophisticated creations from its namesake wool; and Anntarah (anntarah.com), a fair-trade operation whose baby alpaca and Pima cotton items are produced by local families. Bedding Down The rustic-chic vibe of Cirqa (cirqa. pe), a Relais & Chateaux property that opened last year in the centre of Arequipa, is all-enveloping. Housed in a former monastery that dates to 1583, its 11 rooms are furnished with handmade objects and fabrics in soft colors, paired with standing baths and vaulted ceilings. All white and light, the hotel has as its central point a lounge-patio, with sofas, campfires and alpaca skins. Don’t miss Alma, it’s glass-fronted restaurant, where Peruvian-inspired dishes – such as the hot stone river crayfish ceviche and the yellow chilli quinotto – effortlessly bring together the traditional and the modern, just the like city itself. FROM TOP: ISTOCK, JULIANA A. SAAD (2)
BOTTLES: COURTESY THE COMPANIES; ISTOCK (7) That’s the Spirit! With bold flavours and unusual botanticals, these spirits pack a punch just as intoxicating as their alcoholic brethren – without the hangover. by Hiroko Kamogawa Abstinence Aperitif abstinencespirits.com ALTD altdspirits.com Borrago borrago.com Caleño calenodrinks.com Everleaf everleafdrinks.com Feragaia feragaia.com Lyre’s lyres.co.uk Siegfried Wonderleaf siegfriedgin.com The Bitter Note thebitternote.com Three Spirit threespiritdrinks.com THE STORY TASTING NOTES BEST ENJOYED … The zesty Italian-style aperitif is the first of its kind from South Africa A trio of ethically produced versions are named after local cicada species Invented by English foodie Tom Tuke-Hastings for hangover-free indulgence Inspired by her Colombian heritage, owner Ellie Webb perfected the formula in her kitchen Created by a conservation biologist who also helms a trio of successful London bars 14 botanicals handled with respect for Mother Earth, the Scottish company’s namesake: fera (wild), Gaia (Earth) The eight-bottle range is named after the lyrebird, known for its eerily accurate mimicry Initially conceived by the German micro-distillery as an April Fool’s prank Adapting centuries-old amaro alchemy, it shares the look and elegance of the original A trio of elixirs created by a team that includes scientists and bartenders Bittersweet blood orange wrapped in a mixture of Cape Town’s local botanicals Intense flavours derived from native plants and berries grown on Indigenous-owned farms in Australia Overall dry, with sweet floral notes and a strong, lingering finish Lush brew of juniper, spices and fruits led by the Inca berry (physalis) Responsibly sourced crocus, iris, voodoo lilies, Madagascan vanilla and Spanish saffron Local seaweed, bay leaf and chamomile, with kaffir-lime and ancho-chilli extracts Each bottle has a distinct finish – mirroring the flavours of rum, campari, gin, aperol, bourbon and more An aromatic gin replacement that combines 18 different botanicals Rich, fragrant bitterness with a touch of mint and surprising delicacy Social Elixir is made with Mexican aphrodisiac Damiana and lion’s-mane mushroom, said to stimulate cognitive function With tonic, utterly divine with lemon, rosemary and a pinch of salt With ginger ale or tonic; the chocolate-orange version pairs with kombucha On crushed ice, mixed with raw sugar and garnished with lime Hugely varied; try with a shot of espresso, sugar syrup and tonic water Grapefruit juice and honey make for an otherworldly cocktail Straight, over a block of ice with an orange peel for a crisp twist on the Old Fashioned Pair the rum-like Spiced Cane with lime juice, vanilla syrup and ginger beer Topped with tonic and cucumber slices but holds its own in more complex cocktails too As a digestif, in coffee or replacing bitters in a range of cocktails Pair the fiery Livener with passionfruit juice, pomegranate juice and kombucha THE NEW, NEW THING TRAVEL 21 DEPARTURES
