The Lost Explorer has collaborated with Latin restaurant Amazónico on an infusion system that is said to ‘capture the journey’ of the Amazon River.
Designed and built by Global Bartending, and carried out by Amazónico’s head of food and beverage Giannis Apostolopoulos, the bespoke infuser system consists of six glass bowls that create a live cold-drip infusion that lasts between 12-36 hours.
The process sees The Lost Explorer’s three mezcal expressions infused with a selection of ingredients that are sourced from the regions surrounding the Amazon River.
The sweet and smoky Espadín expression is infused with dried apple and Aji Panca, a Peruvian red chilli pepper. The herbaceous Salmiana is infused with dried pineapple and Aji Mirasol, which is a sun-dried Peruvian pepper. And lastly, The Lost Explorer’s earthy expression, Tobalá, is infused with Mexican papaya seeds and Peruvian marigold flowers.
From the extracted flavours, Apostolopoulos has created two cocktails.
One is named the Ica and is inspired by the Margarita and Pisco Sour cocktails. It combines the Espadin and Salmiana infusions with chicha morada, membrillo, pineapple, and a blend of spices.
The other is The Javari, which uses the Tobalá infusion to create a ‘fresh and green drink’ made using papaya peppercorns and marigold tea.
Of the concept, Apostolopoulos said: “Transforming this structure into a functional tool was a challenge, but we chose to implement the infusion technique because it embodies time, patience, and transformation – three principles we wanted to capture when exploring the Amazon River and its flavours.
“The way each byproduct from the surrounding countries interacts with The Lost Explorer mezcal’s flavours and aromas perfectly exemplifies the profound impact each nation has, not only on the river but also on the rainforest.”
The Amazónico Lost Explorer Infuser is available at the restaurant’s London and Dubai outposts. Guests can also observe the infusion process in real time thanks to its interactive design.
Sheyan Patel, CCO at The Lost Explorer, added: “We are thrilled to partner with Giannis Apostolopoulos and his team at Amazónico. The system perfectly captures our beliefs and ethos in collaborating with like-minded customers and partners. The global partnership creates an engaging and unique experience for consumers to explore the incredible mezcal category.”
While The Lost Explorer began as a mezcal-exclusive brand, it created its first Tequila last year. The Spirits Business caught up with the brand’s CEO Tanya Clarke on what motivated the move.
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Author: Rupert Hohwieler
